We are pleased to announce Head Start California’s partnership with the First 5 Association and California WIC Association to engage in statewide outreach and education efforts for the upcoming 2020 Census. Together, our efforts will focus on California’s “hard-to-count” (HTC) populations, focusing on children ages 0-5.

This project, funded by the California Complete Count Census 2020, will ensure that the highest risk, most isolated, and HTC 0-5 families participate in the 2020 Census. In partnership with the First 5 Association and California WIC Association, Head Start California will provide a tailored, grassroots, trusted-messenger approach to Census outreach targeting the 0-5 family population in California. We know what is at stake for our children and families if they aren’t counted. An undercount in 2020 could cost California more than $3 billion in federally funded federal programs, including those affecting young children, such as Medicaid, food stamps, and of course, Head Start.

We need your help reaching the HTC populations across the state. Your knowledge of community hubs and institutions, and trusted relationships with parents of young children can be leveraged in every one of our HTC populations to ensure that messaging about the 2020 Census reaches these families.

Part of this project will allow Head Start California to fund “mini-grants” to Head Start California members who are in HTC counties to conduct Census education and outreach to their communities. Examples of activities that may be funded are conducting Census education trainings for parents and Head Start/Early Head Start staff members, hosting a Census 2020 Questionnaire Assistance Center (QAC), and general community outreach efforts.

To help Head Start California launch this project, we ask that you:

1. Participate in a webinar on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 11:00 a.m. PST. hosted by First 5 Association, California WIC Association and Head Start California to learn more about Census 2020 Messaging. Register now.
2. Take this short 10 question survey now to let us know if you are currently working with your local First 5, WIC and/or Complete Count county office on Census outreach; or if you would like more information about “mini-grants” and opportunities to get involved with Census outreach. Take the survey.

As always, thank you for your continued dedication to our children and families. We know we can COUNT ON YOU to ensure they will be COUNTED!

Christopher Maricle
Executive Director,
Head Start California