By Nicole Black and Andre Ellington
The City of Detroit is filled with great leaders in the faith-based community, but Dr. Cullian W. Hill is leading the charge on the greater community being counted in the 2020 Census. Dr. Hill, President of the Baptist Fellowship of Detroit, and Vicinity, along with twenty-five other pastors of the fellowship, are committed to bringing awareness to their congregations and are pushing citizens everywhere to participate.
“The 2020 Census and Election are the two most important things right now, but this year’s Census count is very crucial to the State of Michigan,” says Dr. Hill. “The Census count can affect us in so many ways if we’re not counted, which is why we’re urging the community to participate in this year’s 2020 Census.”
Dr. Hill, along with Pastor Wallace Mills, Senior Pastor of New Ebenezer Church, is unifying pastors from across Michigan to create better ways of bringing awareness and notifying their congregations on the importance of how the Census affects their communities.
“There is money involved with the census, but at the very same time, we can lose a Senate seat if the City of Detroit isn’t counted in the Census,” says Pastor Wallace Mills. “Senior Citizens are afraid to open their doors to people they aren’t familiar with. Additionally, some seniors don’t have computers and lack computer skills on how to fill out their census paperwork properly, so we’re working together to make this process easier for everyone.
Local pastors are being asked to join the Census-driven campaign “Everybody Counts” to make sure their church doors are open to help anyone in need, especially senior citizens.
Here are some important dates to look out for regarding the 2020 Census:
- March 12 – 20: Households will begin receiving official Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail.
- March 30 – April 1: The Census Bureau will count people who are experiencing homelessness over these three days. As part of this process, the Census Bureau counts people in shelters, at soup kitchens and mobile food vans, on the streets, and at non-sheltered, outdoor locations such as tent encampments.
April 1: Census Day is observed nationwide. By this date, every home will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, you should respond to your home in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. When you respond to the Census, you’ll tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020.
For more information, please call Greater Concord Baptist Church at (313) 891-6800.