Kankakee, IL – The City of Kankakee has been awarded $10,000 from the National League of Cities as a result of a grant secured by Mayor Wells-Armstrong. The grant will sponsor the Get-Out-The-Count (GOTC) effort as a push to complete an accurate count for the 2020 Census.

“I am very excited to announce this news. During the NLC Congressional Cities Conference which was held during March, NLC announced $1.6M in grant funding that was available for municipalities. I applied for the grant while attending this conference to secure additional resources for staff support and marketing resources. This money will be used to further promote the 2020 Census, assist with reaching our harder-to-count areas in the City and incentivize participation. Also, I plan to hire two interns between the ages of 16-24 to work on census activities, specifically targeting our youth,” said Mayor Wells-Armstrong.

While census initiatives have been altered due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), everyone is encouraged to self-report by mail, phone or online at www.2020census.gov. Currently, the self-response rate for the state of Illinois is 59.4% and the City of Kankakee self-response rate is 47.4%. Responses to the 2020 Census will impact the amount of federal funding that will be distributed to communities for resources and services that will assist with healthcare, child care, education, transportation and more.

On April 13, 2020, the United States Census Bureau announced an extension for self-response to the Census which has been extended to October 31, 2020.

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The City of Kankakee is dedicated to protecting, building and nurturing the community while enhancing lives. We are a historic, vibrant, and active riverfront community. We continue to transform into an extraordinary place to dream, grow, and thrive. Embracing our diversity, we strive to be progressive, inclusive, and innovative. For more information on the City of Kankakee, please visit the website at www.citykankakee-il.gov.

 

Press Release - Mayor Wells-Armstrong Secures $10,000 Grant for the City of Kankakee to Respond to the 2020 Census