Census: New York will reward participants with gift certificates

To motivate New Yorkers to take part in the 2020 census, two contests were announced at once. The winners will receive prizes of up to $ 10. This was reported in the press service Census nyc.

There is only a week left until the end of the 2020 census - September 30. Therefore, New York begins serious work to mobilize its residents to participate in the census.

For example, NYC Census 2020 has partnered with city officials, nonprofit leaders, and community leaders to launch two contests - Battle of the Boroughs and Counting All Queens.

This was done to prevent the potential loss of billions of dollars in federal funding for critical programs, as well as the loss of two congressional seats in the midst of the worst economic crisis in a century.

First competition, Battle of the boroughs, was launched in partnership with the United Way of New York City and the New York City Hospitality Alliance.

As part of this competition, residents of each of the five boroughs are invited to fill out a questionnaire. The winner will be the borough with the highest response.

The 50 lucky winners from this borough who complete the questionnaire online will win $ 200 gift vouchers for a dinner at a restaurant of their choice. Gift certificates totaling $ 10 are provided by United Way of New York City.

This competition will not only encourage New Yorkers to participate in the census, but will also show support for the city's restaurant industry.

The contest begins Wednesday, September 23rd and ends on Wednesday, September 30th, the last day New Yorkers can participate in the census.

To participate in this competition, you must fill out the questionnaire and upload a screenshot Site... The participant will be able to choose one of the restaurants participating in the competition at his own discretion. If he wins, he will receive a gift certificate for visiting the chosen institution.

All participants must provide a brief summary of what victory means to them. Winners will be selected based on the quality of their responses.

“The next seven days are critical to building a more equitable future for New York,” said J. Phillip Thompson. with community partners, new initiatives such as Battle of the Boroughs will help ensure that all New Yorkers are counted. "

The second competition is called Counting All Queens. This initiative aims to mobilize representatives of the LGBTQ + movement to participate in the census.

Starting Wednesday, September 23rd through Wednesday, September 30th, five drag queens from each NYC borough will use creative social media calls to action to count votes in their boroughs.

The winner will be the borough with the most active residents this week. The "Coronation" will take place on Thursday, October 1st.

Borough Queens presents Audrey Phoenix, Bronx - Godiva Romance, Staten Island - Britney Virazzano, Brooklyn - Ruby Roo, Manhattan - Pixie Aventura.

Why it is so important to take part in the census

The 2020 census will be a critical component of New York's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the census results determine the number of seats for each state in the US House of Representatives and the number of state electors for elections from 2022 to 2030.

On the subject: How do immigrants participate in the New York Census and why is it important

State and local officials use census data to change constituency boundaries, including elections for Congress, state legislatures, and school districts.

“What's at stake? Simply put: political and financial power. The census determines how many seats New York will get in Congress and the funding the state will receive for housing, health care, education, transportation, and more. It is imperative that New Yorkers are counted, especially during this difficult time when New York City desperately needs a fair share of Congressional representation and federal funds to support the important programs and services we rely on every day, ”said Joseph Salvo (Joseph Salvo), Chief Demographer, Urban Planning Department.

Every year, the federal government distributes nearly $ 1,5 trillion across states and cities for education, housing, transportation, healthcare, and more. Every day, New York City relies on census data to make critical decisions, including vaccination planning, affordable housing, sanitation and transportation services, and the myriad additional life-saving programs and services that every New Yorker benefits from.

If New York does not reach a complete and accurate count in this year's census, the state could lose up to two congressional seats. Given the dire economic situation caused by the pandemic, the city cannot risk losing any representation in the bodies where decisions are made on a daily basis about the country's economic and political future.