CHESTERFIELD – South Carolina is preparing to complete a new Census count for 2010.

Chesterfield County Councilwoman, Lenora Powe, who is also Chairman of the Chesterfield County 2010 Census Complete Count Committee, is urging everyone to participate in the upcoming census.

“For every person who fills out a form, Chesterfield County will receive $1,200 per person but the state uses a different formula to reimburse counties with populations over 50,000. We are working hard in getting the word out and there are temporary jobs available for those who want to train to be Census workers,” Powe said. “Applicants are tested and the person with the highest test score is the one hired. The issue we face with hiring this way is this particular person may not know the community or have the trust of the citizens within that community. One main objective is to get more community leaders involved in this process,” she said.

Powe said the main purpose of the Census Committee is to develop action plans to inform every person in Chesterfield County, on all socio-economic levels, the importance of the 2010 Census and the individual financial impact it will have on their lives.

According to the CCCC plan, nine sub-committees were established for community outreach, which includes business, education, government, faith-based organizations and Hispanic, media/publicity, community services, information technology and service organizations. The promotion of the upcoming Census is funded through grants and is also funded from the county and school board. To help promote this year’s Census, literature is being distributed throughout the state to these various agencies and organizations to help them understand the process and to educate the layperson as to what the Census Count actually is. According to the financial breakdown in 2007 by the National Association of Counties (NACo), it was estimated that $1,249 was received for everyone who participated.

“The 2010 Census forms (questionnaire) will be sent out around the middle of March. We encourage households to send them back as soon as they receive them if possible. All information is confidential and cannot be shared. We will also have assisting centers in the county and those locations will be announced at a later time,” said Powe.

Powe said a Census Portrait of America Road Tour event would also be held in Chesterfield at the Chesterfield-Ruby Middle School. The tentative date for that event is scheduled for April 6 and is an all day-event.

According to www.2010.census.gov, the purpose of the tour is so participants can learn about the 2010 Census and the positive impact their participation can have on their local community and the nation. Census data is used to apportion seats in Congress and directly affect how more than $400 billion per year in federal funding is distributed to state, local and tribal governments. Thirteen vehicles have already launched the 2010 Census Portrait of America Road Tour by traveling throughout each of the Census Bureau’s 12 regions. The national Census vehicle targets high-attendance events across the country such as the Super Bowl to state and county fairs, church functions and community events. The tour is designed to educate the public about this year’s Census, inspire interest in the process and encourage participation. Census staff will use vehicles to engage hard-to-count audiences and work with local “trusted voices” and the media to help spread the word that the 2010 Census is easy, safe and important.

For more information about how you can be involved call Lenora Powe at 843-623-2535 or write to: Chesterfield County Complete Count Committee, 200 W. Main St., Chesterfield, S.C. 29709. To apply for a 2010 Census job visit http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/ or call 1-866-861-2010.