Businesses were asked to give employees five minute breaks to fill out census. | Pixabay
Businesses were asked to give employees five minute breaks to fill out census. | Pixabay
Area businesses were asked to participate in the "Take 5" census initiative to provide employees with a five-minute break during the workday on Aug. 5 and internet access to complete the census.
City of Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart came up with the idea and partnered with City of Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green, Grow Cedar Valley CEO Cary Darrah and Brian Schoon of the Black Hawk County Complete Count Committee.
“Having businesses give employees online access and time to complete the census is one more way to reach the hard-to-count communities,” Hart said in a City of Waterloo press release. “These communities are often underserved and in most need of the federal, state and local funds allocated per census data to provide a safety net of services.”
As of July 27, 69.5% of Black Hawk County residents had completed the census.
Census data is used to determine representation in Congress and allocate federal funds.
“Now is the time to stand up and be counted," Schoon said. "Each and every one of us can make sure Black Hawk County gets its fair share of the $1.5 trillion in funding, from infrastructure to education and social services, as well as having fair government representation. These things directly benefit all of us, and every person counts.”
Alerts Sign-up