Making sure every person counts in the 2010 Census is an enormous undertaking, particularly for homeless individuals who will not receive a questionnaire in the mail. Increased funding for critical services comes into communities as a result of an accurate count - things like emergency services, job training, hospitals, and public infrastructure support.  One Virginia organization is making sure their communities get all the services they need by making an accurate count a top priority.

The Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness (VCEH) works to prevent and eliminate homelessness in the state through a number of methods including education, advocacy and capacity building. They are employing these same tactics to ensure the homeless population of Virginia is counted in this year's census.

By working with case managers and staff at homeless service agencies who already have relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness, VCEH hopes to build trust with this community and start a movement. VCEH will also provide technical assistance to the community with clear instructions on how to be counted. With an accurate count, those experiencing homelessness will be one step closer to getting the resources they need to build power and create lasting change.

Voice of Vietnamese Americans (VVA) was established in Virginia in 2009 to empower Vietnamese Americans "by promoting civic engagement through community organizing and capacity building." VVA is now turning its attention to the 2010 Census.

VVA is hoping to build a network of individuals and organizations through participation in the census that can be leveraged into a longer-lasting coalition for change and community empowerment. In line with the Southern Echo model and viewing the 2010 Census as just one of many tools in the civic engagement process, VVA is working toward the greater goal of building grassroots power and mobilization.

The organization's broad targeted public is Vietnamese Americans who do not speak English; this group includes senior citizens living in group homes and new-comers living in apartments and rental properties. All of these groups are historically hard to count. By working with community and religious leaders, as well as students and Census Bureau partnership specialists, VVA aims to raise awareness through strategic communications and individual outreach.

For VVA, the census is not just a one-time event but is a movement connected to broader social justice goals.

Associated Neighborhood Development (AND) is an organization based in New Orleans, LA, established to address the affordable housing needs of New Orleans residents. Currently they are focusing on pairing new advocates with those who are more experienced to get the word out about the 2010 Census.

In collaboration with the Hoffman Triangle Neighborhood Association (HTNA), the groups are working to advocate for services that many New Orleans neighborhoods are still not able to offer in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. AND is hoping to reach affected communities with informational materials on what an accurate count in New Orleans would mean for the issues the area is facing as it continues to rebuild. Since many residents are displaced, it is crucial that everyone in this area be counted in order to obtain the resources the New Orleans community really needs.

AND will pair one youth canvasser who has been educated about the census with a more experienced volunteer from HTNA. By creating this diverse team, AND wants to couple youthful energy with experienced knowledge to reach a wider range of residents. AND hopes that this unique pairing will help to spread awareness about the benefits of participating in the 2010 Census to all members of the New Orleans community.

The Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) works for equal rights for immigrants through community education, advocacy and collaboration with other immigrant organizations. In order to advocate for Florida's immigrant community in 2010, FLIC is working for an accurate count in this year's census.

FLIC is working to combat problems common in other similar organizations. Many members of this community feel a lack of entitlement or belonging to federal processes like the census, creating a barrier for participation. Concerns about immigration status often plague these communities when deciding if and how to participate in democratic processes. In addition, many in this group are unaware of how the census will benefit them. FLIC wants these communities to know the census is for everyone.

Employing a one-on-one approach to reaching community members, FLIC is canvassing neighborhoods and educating individuals about the benefits and safeguards of the census. They hope that this will create a greater sense of belonging to encourage participation in the census.

Groups working in florida expect an increase in the Haitian population following the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, increasing the need for resources and representation. An accurate count in the 2010 Census could help provide the means necessary to helping this community thrive. The organization has recruited more than 60 emerging community leaders to spread the word about the census in a way that is meaningful to the communities it serves.

For more information about FLIC's census work, check out this link.

Sant La, the Haitian Neighborhood Center in Miami, FL, was established in December 2000 to help stabilize and empower Florida's Haitian community by providing it with the resources necessary to help it thrive. Ten years later, Sant La is working for an accurate census count for the same reasons.

Obstacles to being counted in the Haitian community include reaching low-income areas often isolated by language barriers and a mistrust of government agencies due to fears associated with immigration status. In addition, a lack of familiarity with American institutions and low literacy rates further discourage members of the community from participating in the census.

To combat these problems, Sant La is using its trusted position within the Florida Haitian community and a variety of media outlets to spread awareness of the 2010 Census and integrate it into their existing programs. Through weekly television programs, radio ads and print media publications, Sant La will use this major media campaign to reach everyone in the Haitian community. In the process, the organization hopes to educate its constituents about the benefits of an accurate count and build a trust that will help to empower the Haitian community.

The National Coalition for Burned Churches and Community and Empowerment was formed in 1997 in response to the church-burning crisis of 1996, when churches all over the South were destroyed by arsonists. Now this group of allies based in Georgia but spread all over the South is coming together for another cause: an accurate count in the 2010 Census.

In keeping with their mission and targeting historically underrepresented populations in communities affected by arson, the organization has many obstacles to overcome. They have found that there is very little interaction between these faith communities and government, making community members reluctant to participate and provide any information in the census. Even recovery aid is often not enough incentive in overcoming these inhibitions.

Being accurately counted and represented in the 2010 Census can mean fair political representation, strengthening a community voice that has historically gone unheard.

With a membership of more than 250 individuals and 15,000 parishioners, the National Coalition for Burned Churches plans to use their extensive network to reach as many people as possible in raising awareness of the 2010 Census. Building trusting relationships between groups affiliated with the census and faith communities is the best way to combat skepticism and encourage participation. The group will work with church leaders to ensure that every member of every congregation is counted, building a network of individuals that can be used for years to come after this census.

Some new advocates are seeking to spread awareness about the importance of participating in the 2010 Census. Though they have never before been counted, that will soon change for these North Carolina residents.

The Eastern North Carolina Complete Count Committee is now working to make sure that these historically undercounted communities are accurately represented in the 2010 Census.

The organization has recruited retired farmworkers to spread awareness in their own communities and others around the state. Each volunteer commits to 15 hours per week and travels around North Carolina engaging their peers in census education. They hope that these groups will not only be counted, but that through this process they can also build better organizational infrastructure within communities and work toward lasting change.

Five years later, the Gulf Coast is still rebuilding, and to do that, they need resources. This could come through receiving their fair share of more than $400 billion allocated annually in federal funds from the 2010 Census. However, with residents still displaced from their homes after Hurricane Katrina, getting an accurate count to ensure funding is a huge obstacle to conquer.

In an effort to combat this, Moving Forward Gulf Coast, Inc., in cooperation with its allies, is supporting Operation Recover and Restore to bring critical funds to the Gulf Coast area. The campaign encourages displaced residents to be counted at their pre-storm residence so that funds are allocated properly and can help in the rebuilding process.

As part of their effort, the group has produced a PSA featuring Darnell Dinkins of the NFL. To see this video, check out this link. More resources can be found here. Also, a news story about volunteers spreading the word about the census in the Gulf Coast area is here.

The Montagnard Dega Association (MDA), an SCSJ community partner located in Greensboro, N.C., is using new media to make sure that their “hard-to-count” group will have the resources they need in the upcoming decade.

The MDA is a North Carolina Refugee Service Provider that is now focusing on making sure that the Montagnard population gets counted in the 2010 Census. North Carolina’s Montagnard population is the largest outside Southeast Asia. However, this community has been counted as Vietnamese or Cambodian for more than 20 years and has been provided with information in languages they often do not understand, effectively denying this group the resources it needs for day-to-day life.

In an effort to change this, the MDA is encouraging all Montagnards to check “Asian-American” on the census questionnaire and fill in “Montagnard.” In order to make sure individuals understand how to do this, the MDA is producing a series of YouTube videos in each language spoken by this growing section of the community. Already posted are instructional videos in Rhade and Bunong, with three more in Koho, Bahnar, and Jarai coming soon.

The videos go through the questionnaire and translate each question with an audio guide and in written form. The MDA hopes that this will give a more accurate count of the Montagnard population and improve the quality of life of this group overall.