With 2020 Census deadline fast approaching, a renewed effort to get people counted

INDIANAPOLIS — Decisions about the city's future and the government dollars that go towards that comes down to counting everyone.

That's why there's a big push on the Indianapolis east side to make sure all residents take part in the 2020 census. The deadline is next Monday.

The Community Alliance of the Far East Side isn't wasting any time making sure people are counted.

“When I moved here 30 years ago it was nothing like it is now. I moved here because it was one of a kind, but now I feel like we are missing out,” said Leslie Woods.

Leslie woods says this is the far east side’s chance to make sure they are counted in.

“We can look like the north side or south side, Fountain Square area but we need funding,” said Woods.

The census count is used to decide political power, community funding and business investments.

“We are throwing away our funding for better streets, better buildings better everything,” added Woods.

The count determines how more that $675 billion gets used across the nation and for every person that isn’t counted that could be around $30,000 for the funding that doesn't make it into the community.

“We are in a food desert. We don’t have a grocery store. The closest one is up on Pendleton Pike. There are so many vacant and abandoned buildings around here where businesses used to be—we need to start growing,” added woods.

“I have two millennial daughters and I tell them to fill that out, don’t think twice about it. Don’t lay it down. Fill it out and mail,” said woods.

“You could come and say hey I need to register to vote or I want to complete my census and we will walk you through the process and boom its done,” said CAFE Chief Programs Officer Kendra Nowell.

If you still need to complete the census, here’s the link: https://2020census.gov/en.html