Did you know that the first census was held in 1790 shortly after George Washington became president? It took nearly 18 months to complete! At this time, they counted 3.9 million inhabitants which increased the U.S. House of Representatives from 65 to 105. With the increased need for the census, the U.S. Census Bureau was officially created in 1902 as a permanent office within the Department of the Interior.

You might be wondering why the Cherokee County Educational Foundation is advocating for your involvement in the 2020 census. It's because there are many decisions made across the United States using the data from the census, specifically within education. In 2020, 5% of children under the age of 5 weren't counted, which altered the numbers and thus funding decisions related to education.

Heather Thompson of the Atlanta Regional Census Center stated, "In the past, children have been difficult to count, which means our county misses out on funds it needs. In 2010, an estimated 1 million children under the age of 5 went without being counted and were not added once this was discovered."

There are a lot of scenarios in which children may not make it into the final count of the census. For a comprehensive review of some of the most confusing circumstances and how you should decide whether to include your child on your census report, click here.

Luckily, the census isn't quite as grueling as it was in 1790 as we now have technology that allows you to fill out the census online, and it should only take you about 10 minutes to complete. Should you not want to fill out the census online, you can also do so by phone or by mail. Keep in mind that if you haven't filled out the form by May of 2020, you will have someone knocking at your door!

With this being the first year having the census online, it can't get any easier. April 1st is right around the corner, so if you have any other questions regarding the census, click here!