Campaign goal is for accurate count of projected 30,000 city residents.

 

EASTON, PA – January 22, 2020 – Today the City of Easton announced an awareness campaign that is rolling out over the next several weeks aimed at encouraging all city residents to participate in the 2020 Census.

Last year Mayor Sal Panto Jr. instructed city administration to create the Easton Complete Count Committee, which brings together representatives from local partners and community organizations to discuss how each of them is promoting the Census to their respective audiences. City Council allocated funds in the 2020 city budget to facilitate marketing tactics as part of the campaign.

The tactics in the city’s “Easton You Count” campaign include a bilingual brochure and poster; bilingual signage throughout the city on vinyl banners and yard signs placed in high traffic areas; sidewalk art featuring a hopscotch with bilingual logos at each end to be located at parks and schools; bilingual video public service announcements; an insert into the March utility bill; a web site landing page; and email marketing.

A social media campaign with paid boosted posts on Facebook and Instagram will share key messaging points and answer frequently asked questions such as why a resident should complete the census; how it benefits their community; what questions they will be asked on the Census form; how the information is used, and more.

A video series featuring short interviews with local leaders and influencers will also be used online with each subject addressing their respective audience. Computers are planned to be set up in Easton City Hall, Easton Area Neighborhood Center on South Side, and the Easton Area Community Center in West Ward so that residents without access to computers or the internet can complete the Census online.

Each year the city receives funds from the federal government that support the public services and community programs it offers. It also funds schools, roads, transportation, fire and police departments, and more. Census data are also used to draw congressional and state legislative districts and determine the state’s representation in Congress.

During the 2010 Census, Easton’s population was counted at 26,800, an amount suspected to be an undercount because up to 27.8 percent of the households in some areas of the city did not respond. For the 2020 Census, the expectation is to reach an official count of more than 30,000 residents, a threshold that qualifies the city for a higher level of funding from the federal government.

Beginning in mid-March, residents will start to receive in the mail an invitation to complete the Census online or by phone. Those who do not respond to the initial invitation will receive a paper form in the mail a few weeks later. Anyone not responding to the Census by the end of April will receive a visit at their home from an official Census taker.

Anyone with questions about the Census can find more information through the city website or by emailing census2020@easton-pa.gov or calling 610-250-6723.

Established in 1752 and incorporated in 1887, The City of Easton in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is home to over 27,000 residents. It is situated at the Forks of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers and is the county seat for Northampton County.

 

Information Provided By:
Tracey Werner, Blabbermouth Communications
tracey@blabbermouthcommunications.com

 

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