20 THE QUEENS COURIER • SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
census
Eastern Queens leads borough in Census response rates
Photo via Shutterstock
Jamaica crowned winner of city’s fi rst Census Subway Series
BY JACOB KAYE
jkaye@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Jamaica bested Canarsie, Brooklyn,
in the first round of New York City’s
“Census Subway Series,” Mayor Bill
de Blasio announced on Wednesday,
Sept. 2.
Th e competition was created to increase
the self-response rate for the 2020 census
among New York City residents. Th e
fi rst round of the Census Subway Series
saw Jamaica residents’ response rate jump
from 50.7 percent to 51.6 percent, while
Canarsie residents’ response rate rose
from 48.5 percent to 49.2 percent.
Th e eff ort, sponsored by New York
City Census 2020 team, is one of several
competitions aimed at increasing New
Yorkers’ census response rate. At the time
the fi rst round of the Census Subway
Series was announced, the city’s response
rate was around 56 percent, about 8 percentage
points below the national average.
In addition to the Census Subway
Series, prizes will be awarded to New
York City residents who fi ll out the census
form.
Every New Yorker who fi lls out the census
is eligible to win prizes from Seamless,
the Museum of Modern Art, Lyft and
Citi Bike. Six New Yorkers will receive a
$1,000 gift card from Seamless; 25 will
receive a yearlong membership to the
Museum of Modern Art and the MoMA
PS1 in Long Island City; and 100 New
Yorkers will receive $50 in Lyft credits and
an annual Citi Bike membership.
Th e second round of the Census Subway
Series between the Upper East Side and
Midwood, Brooklyn began on Monday,
Aug. 31, and ran until Sunday, Sept. 6.
New Yorkers can enter themselves for the
census prizes atnyc.gov/censuscontest.
Th e deadline for the 2020 census is
Sept. 30.
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Eastern Queens is leading the borough
and New York City in census response
rates, according to recently released data.
Th e average census response rate in New
York City is 55 percent, while District 23
in eastern Queens has a response rate of
64 percent — the highest in Queens and
the second highest in New York City.
District 23 includes the neighborhoods
of Bayside Hills, Bellerose, Douglaston,
Floral Park, Fresh Meadows, Glen Oaks,
Hollis, Hollis Hills, Holliswood, Little
Neck, New Hyde Park, Oakland Gardens
and Queens Village.
Councilman Barry Grodenchik, who
represents District 23, said he is “pleased
to see strong results.”
“An accurate count is critical to the
future of our city, so I have been encouraging
participation in the 2020 census
across the community since last fall,”
Grodenchik said.
Th e census determines congressional
representation, gives access to hundreds
of billions of dollars in federal funding,
and aff ects other crucial resources for
communities.
To minimize underrepresentation,
an issue in the last census in 2010,
Grodenchik has made the 2020 census a
priority on his agenda.
Th e councilman has partnered with
local libraries, civic associations, small
businesses, schools, community boards
and the NYPD to spread the importance
of fi lling out the census.
Grodenchik has set up tabling events
and workshops, off ering updated information
and opportunities to fi ll out the
census on site; he also has launched an
email, text and social media campaign
to encourage residents to fi ll out the census
online or by telephone during the
COVID-19 pandemic in an eff ort to keep
people safe.
Grodenchik’s recent push to get greater
self-response rates, which included
mobile questionnaire assistance, helped
hundreds of people.
Th e deadline for the 2020 census is Sept.
30 instead of Oct. 31 and Grodenchik is
continuing his outreach eff orts, which
includes arranging for census representatives
to be onsite providing assistance at
the following events:
Face mask distribution on Sept. 9 at 9
a.m. at Key Food, 61-46 Springfi eld Blvd.
Queens County Farm Museum tourSenior
nature walk in Alley Pond Park
Th e last two events are by reservation
only; for more information, call 718-468-
0137 or email BGrodenchik@Council.
NYC.gov.
Photo via Getty Images
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