Stand Up and Be Counted
On November 5, the Florida Prosperity Partnership (FPP) hosted a roundtable at the United Way of West Florida in Pensacola. Community developers and financial capability practitioners of all types were invited to the three-hour learning and action planning session, which centered on the future of community development.
The U.S. Census Bureau’s Channa Lloyd, Esq. opened the session with her presentation, “Stand Up and Be Counted.” In her presentation, Lloyd stressed the importance of participating in the upcoming 2020 census.
The 2020 census will begin in March 2020, when every home will receive an invitation to respond to a short questionnaire. This can be completed online, by phone, or by mail. Census day is April 1, 2020, and participation in the census is required by law.
The census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support to our communities. The results of the 2020 Census will affect community funding, congressional representation, and more.
Another session was hosted by Senior Vice President and Director of Community Development with The First, A National Banking Association, Jerome Brown, and Community Affairs Officer with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Scarlett Duplechain. Brown and Duplechain shared how banks are monitored and how they serve their communities.
Juli Lewis, with the League of Southeastern Credit Unions, also presented at the event. Her presentation discussed credit unions and their community partnerships. Credit unions, Lewis explained, offer free group trainings on financial issues upon request. People who are unbanked or underbanked (meaning they have access to financial services but not everything they need) spend an average of 10 percent of their annual income just to access basic services like check cashing or credit.
People with disabilities are more in need of financial education services. They are more likely than people without disabilities to have extreme difficulty paying bills, which can result in them skipping medical treatments.
Events like this are important because they are reminders of how critical it is for individuals with disabilities and their families to participate in the 2020 census and to take advantage of the free financial trainings offered by banks and credit unions.
U.S. Census Bureau’s Channa Lloyd, Esq. leads a session on the 2020 census at a roundtable hosted by the Florida Prosperity Partnership.
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