CONTACT: ACNJ, Lana Lee, (973) 643-3876 (office) | (609) 651-5855 (cell) | llee@acnj.org
 

Dozens of New Jersey Groups Call on Governor for Census Outreach Funding in FY2020 Budget    

NEWARK – New Jersey nonprofits and advocacy groups, including Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) and the New Jersey Institute of Social Justice (NJISJ), called on Governor Phil Murphy to include $9 million in state funding for Census outreach in his proposed FY2020 budget. 

The list of signees underscored that Census counts are used to allocate more than $22 billion in federal funding each year, making the one-time expense of state outreach funding a good investment for New Jersey's fiscal health.

"Almost every federal program supporting children and families depends on Census data, including health insurance through Medicare or Medicaid, Title I and special education funding for schools, Head Start, food stamps, school meals, highway construction and housing vouchers or loans," said ACNJ CEO and president Cecilia Zalkind. "An undercount could starve these programs of critical funding."

Read letter to Governor Murphy

The list of signees includes:

• NAACP – New Jersey State Conference
• Latino Action Network Foundation
• Make the Road New Jersey
• New Jersey Policy Perspective
• Education Law Center
• New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association
• New Jersey Association of School Administrators
• New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children
• New Jersey American Academy of Pediatrics
• League of Women Voters of New Jersey
• New Jersey Library Association
• Anti-Poverty Network of New Jersey

For a full list of signees click here.

The diverse set of signees reflects the broad range of programs and communities affected by Census data. New Jersey faces serious challenges to an accurate 2020 Census including lower federal spending on Census outreach, the Census Bureau's first-ever online questionnaire, and continued uncertainty about a citizenship question.

Other states such as California, Illinois, Maryland and Georgia have committed millions to Census outreach efforts.

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Advocates for Children of New Jersey is a statewide child research and action organization. ACNJ works with local, state and federal leaders to identify and implement changes that will benefit New Jersey's children.