Diverse Fort Wayne committee to assist with Census 2020 count

A group of volunteers appointed by Mayor Tom Henry is charged with ensuring the Census 2020 count is as complete and accurate as possible.
The Fort Wayne Complete Count Committee met for the first time Oct. 18; the community leaders represent Fort Wayne's diverse populations, according to a statement from the mayor's office. Black, white, Hispanic and Burmese community members are on the group. They come from a variety of groups including the courts, schools, hospitals, Muslim and Christian faiths and nonprofits, including for the aged. They will partner with federal officials and grass-roots leaders to create strategies for informing all residents about the census, which begins April 1, 2020. Palermo Galindo, the city’s community liaison, is the staff representative on the committee.

---

​“Getting an accurate census count is critical for the city of Fort Wayne,” Henry said in the announcement. “Federal dollars needed to support our residents, schools, roads and more are allocated based on our population as determined by the census. I urge every resident to complete their census form so that our community will receive our fair share of federal funding.”
The census happens once every 10 years, and all households are asked to complete the form on April 1, 2020. Census data determines the number of congressional seats Indiana receives in the U.S. House of Representatives and guides the redistricting of state and local legislative districts.

Census data also helps determine the amount of federal funding for state and local governments. For example, Indiana, its residents and government organizations received just under $18 billion in federal funding in 2016. The dollars were allocated for Medicaid, Medicare, food assistance, highway construction, Title 1 grants to local schools, special education grants, school lunch programs, low-income housing programs and more.
Members of the Complete Count Census Committee are:

• Adrian Curry (Art Leadership Center)
• Aisha-Amina Smiley (Indiana University Fort Wayne)      
• Andrew Hoffman (NeighborLink)
• Austin Knox (Wayne Township)
• Camille Garrison (Volunteer Center Fort Wayne) 
• David Loya (Congolese Community Organization)
• Dr. Debra “Faye” Williams-Robbins (Fort Wayne Community Schools)
• Deborah Watson (East Allen County Schools)
• Denny Zimmerman (Northwest Area Partnership)
• Fernando Zapari  (El Mexicano Newspaper)
• Greta Southard (Allen County Public Library)
• Herb Hernandez  (Greater Fort Wayne Hispanic Chamber of Commerce)   
• Jan Diaz (Indiana Wesleyan University)
• JJ Foster  (Fort Wayne Housing Authority)
• John Dortch (Fort Wayne Black Chamber) 
• John Guingrich (The League) 
• John Peirce (Peirce Consulting)                       
• Josette Rider (Big Brothers Big Sisters)           
• Joshua Gale (Just Neighbors)                         
• Juanita Goodwell (Indiana Youth Institute)             
• Judge Charles Pratt (Allen County Superior Court/Family Division)       
• Linda Dunno (AARP IN)                                     
• Marc Levy (Questa Education Foundation)    
• Max Montesino (Hispanic Coalition of NE IN)
• Minn Myint Nan Tin (Burmese business representative)
• Ana Giusti  (Hispanic Coalition of NE IN)
• Meg Distler (St. Joe Community Health Foundation)
• Patti Hayes (AWS Foundation)              
• Raquel Aragon Kline (Language Services Network)
• Renatta Williams (Health Visions of Fort Wayne)
• Soe Min Oo (Burmese Muslim Education Center)                
• Steve Corona (Latinos Count)       
• Steve Hoffman (Brightpoint)
• Andrew Applegate (Brightpoint)
• Tiffany Bailey (United Way of Allen County)
• Ruthie Hall (United Way of Allen County)
• Wallace Butts (Lead Pastor, Love Church Ministries)
• Ye Win Latt (Burmese Muslim community)   

​Link to the Orignal Post: https://www.fwbusiness.com/business/latest/article_98a6970b-e621-5d0a-9807-27b82f0c018c.html