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NEW YORK, NY:  As 2010 Census forms arrive in more than 120 million mailboxes across the country this week, several 20-foot-high replicas of the form began touring the nation today. The U.S. Census Bureau’s Giant 2010 Census Form Tour is part of a large-scale effort to encourage households to take 10 minutes to fill out and mail back their census forms.

Asking just 10 questions and taking only about 10 minutes to complete, the 2010 Census form is one of the shortest in U.S. history. The displays will familiarize the public with the look and feel of the form and its 10 questions, increasing awareness and motivating mail participation.

The Census Bureau is encouraging households to return their forms by mail because taxpayers can save about $85 million in operational costs for every percentage point increase in the national mail participation rate. In 2000, the nation reversed a three-decade decline in mail rates, achieving a participation rate of 72 percent.  The Census Bureau is challenging the nation to “Take 10” minutes to improve upon that rate in 2010. When households don’t return the form, census takers must go to the homes to get the answers to the questionnaires, driving up the cost of the census.

“((I’d like nothing more than to return money to the taxpayers following this census because they mailed back the census forms at a record rate)),” said Census Bureau New York Regional Director Lester Farthing. “In the end, the American public’s willingness to participate in the 2010 Census will determine its success and how much money we’re able to return to local communities for the services they need.”

LOCATIONS AND DATES:

March 15-16, 2010     Times Square   (done)       7am – 10pm

March 17-18, 2010     Foley Square (in front of New York City Hall)      7am – 10pm

March 19-20, 2010     Union Square    7am – 10pm

To schedule an on-site interview with a Census Bureau representative, please contact

Igor M. Alves, Media Specialist at igor.michel.alves@census.gov.

About the 2010 Census

The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution to be conducted every 10 years. Census data are used to apportion congressional seats to states; to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to local, state, and tribal governments each year; and to make decisions about what community services to provide. The 2010 Census form will be one of the shortest in U.S. history and consists of just 10 questions, taking about 10 minutes to complete. Strict confidentiality laws protect the respondents and the information they provide.

March 8-10:                Advance letters are mailed to most homes.

March 15-17:              Mailing of 2010 Census form to most homes.

March 19 – April 19:  Opening of Be Counted Sites / Questionnaire Assistance Centers in select neighborhood locations to provide extra forms and help to those who need it.

March 22-24:              Mailing of reminder postcards.

March 29-31:              Census workers count homeless people at shelters, soup kitchens/food vans, and selected outdoor locations.

April 1-10:                   Second mailing of 2010 Census form to many homes that have not returned first one.

April 1, 2010:              Official Census Day

April - July 2010:        Census workers visit households that have not mailed back their census form.

Dec. 31, 2010:             Reporting of Census data to the President of the United States.

2010 CENSUS LINKS

Main Page: http://www.2010census.gov

NY Regional Website: http://www.census.gov/regions/new_york

Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, more): http://2010.census.gov/2010census/involved/index.php

NY Regional Facebook ID: New York Regional Census Office

2010 Census Timeline: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/about_2010_census/013279.html

2010 Census Logos: http://2010.census.gov/partners/census-logos/

Multimedia Center: http://2010.census.gov/mediacenter/index.php

Images, b-roll and other tools: http://mediadownload.census.gov/

Local data: Data from the 2000 Census and American Community Survey are available at http://www.census.gov Enter the specific city or zip code into the “Population Finder” on the right hand side.