What you need to know about the census and Alivio Medical Center’s participation

The 2020 Census is a month away and Alivio Medical Center is making every effort to educate its patients and community of the importance of making sure everyone is counted in the census.

Conducting a census is one of the first responsibilities our Founding Fathers mandated the federal government to carry out every ten years.

And for good reason. Every decade, census population data is used to determine how our state and congressional maps are drawn, how many members we will have in the U.S. House of Representatives, and how many votes Illinois gets in the Electoral College.

Just as important, though, is how census data is used to determine the distribution of federal funds to pay for programs such as a Medicaid, Head Start, and infrastructure funds to fix Illinois’ highways and bridges.

All of this money and power is at risk if not everyone fills out the census form on April 1, 2020. An Illinois undercount in the 2020 Census would mean political maps that don’t accurately represent us, less representation in Washington and in future presidential elections, and worst of all, greater funding crises in Springfield as lawmakers try to make up for lost federal funds.

At Alivio we understand that these very programs and infrastructures affect the lives of our patients and can determine outcomes for their health and well-being.

This isn’t about politics. This isn’t about which  party controls Springfield or who controls Washington. It’s simply about Illinois, our communities and our patients getting the full resources and representation they deserve.

To do that, we need to make sure every person is counted. That is why this spring, Alivio Medical Center’s Census Ambassador Team will be convening education and awareness events across all its medical sites in Chicago and Berwyn, the Mexican Consulate and surrounding neighborhoods to reach people in some hardest to count communities to help them understand the importance of being counted ahead of the 2020 Census. Additionally, Alivio’s Census Ambassadors will provide technology for individuals to fill out census forms online.

Too much is at risk if some children or others in Illinois are not counted. We will lose money, power and full representation. We need your help to reach your neighbors, friends, and family to make a concerted effort so everyone counts for the 2020 Census.

Together, we can ensure Illinois has the representation and the full resources our state deserves.

Alivio Medical Center thanks Cook County for awarding us crucial funding for Census efforts. We are deeply grateful to Illinois Action for Children, and AgeOptions for selecting Alivio as a sub-recipient for funding from the State of Illinois. Alivio would not be able to conduct this crucial work without the funding, partnerships and tireless advocacy of our funders, legislators and partners.

Stay tuned for information on event dates and locations. Be sure to visit our Facebook page and website for updates. Spread the word and tell your friends and family, as all are welcome!

For more information:
www.aliviomedicalcenter.org
www.facebook.com/AlivioChicago/
www.cookcountyil.gov/census
www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/census2020/home.html
www.ilcountmein2020.org
www.census2020.gov