Applications for Thousands of Part-Time U.S. Census Jobs Being Accepted Now

Mayor Richard M. Daley today urged qualified Chicagoans in need of a job to apply for the thousands of temporary positions now being filled by the U.S. Census Bureau and he announced the creation of the “Chicago Complete Count Committee” to ensure that all residents are counted when the 2010 Census begins in March.

“In these difficult times, when so many of our residents are struggling to find work, these Census Taker positions can represent a lifeline for a few months.

They might make the difference between being able to pay your bills or not,” Daley said in a news conference held at Central West Regional Senior Service Center, 2102 W. Ogden Av., at which he was joined by census officials and community leaders.

“It’s our job to use every possible tool to fight for the working and middle class families of Chicago who need our support and these census jobs are a very important tool.” he said.

The Mayor also announced the creation of the “Chicago Complete Count Committee,” which builds on the City’s efforts, which have been ongoing since April, to ensure that everyone takes part in the census.

The Committee, which will be co-chaired by Clare Munana, Vice Chair of the Chicago Board of Education and President of Ancora Associates, and Alvin Boutte, Jr., a member of the Illinois Sports Facilities Board and Managing Director of Grigsby and Associates, is composed of community, business and civic leaders and will be responsible for making sure that specific groups that have been undercounted in the past — such as seniors, veterans, ex-offenders, immigrants, the homeless and students — know about the Census and complete a questionnaire next spring.

It will reach out to hundreds of local organizations to involve them in the effort and will also work closely with the “Count Me In” project, a partnership created earlier this year in which ten of Chicago’s leading philanthropic organizations have contributed more than $1 million dollars to help 25 community organizations raise awareness about the Census all across the city.

Daley said the “Count Me In” program is a first-of-its-kind in the country and that Dr. Robert Groves, the National Director of the U.S. Census Bureau, has called it “model for communities across the nation.”

“Count Me In” is being led by the Joyce Foundation and also includes The Boeing Company, The Chicago Bar Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Grand Victoria Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Steans Family Foundation and Woods Fund of Chicago.

“All these partners recognize how important a complete and accurate census count is to their own work. They recognize that in this tough economy, people demand more from government, not less, and that our working and middle class families need our support now more than ever,” Daley said.

“That’s why the City’s proposed budget for next year maintains essential services, doesn’t raise taxes, fines or fees and does more with less. And it’s why we need every federal dollar we can get,” he said.

Daley said that in the long-term, the reason the census is so important to every Chicagoan is that it’s the basis for how the federal government distributes hundreds of billions of dollars to cities and states to support critical programs in education, transportation, health care, public safety, community development, social services and many other areas.

If Chicago’s count isn’t accurate, it will directly affect the amount of federal funding we receive for the next ten years,” the Mayor said.

“Especially in this economy, we want to receive every single federal dollar we are entitled to, so it is critical for every Chicagoan to complete the Census questionnaire,” he said.

The positions being filed by the Census Bureau are short-term jobs that offer good weekly pay, flexible hours and the chance to do something that helps the City and the nation, Daley said.

The positions require – for the most part – that an applicant be a U.S. citizen, have a valid Social Security number, pass a written test of basic skills and pass a background check. Most field jobs require a valid driver’s license.

Further information is available on the Census Bureau Web site, 2010.census.gov, or by calling the Census Jobs Line at 1-866-861-2010.

Information on how and where to apply is also available at the City’s Workforce Centers, at library branches and by calling 311.

The members of the “Chicago Complete Count Committee” are:

• Andy Mooney, Executive Director, LISC/Chicago
• Merri Dee, State Director, AARP Illinois
• Marca Bristo, President and Chief Executive Officer, Access Living
• Joe Bazil, Outreach Coordinator, U.S. Veterans Administration
• Esther Franco-Payne, Program Director, Chicago Metropolis 2020
• Elisa Alfonso, Regional Census Director, Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund (MALDEF)
• Nancy Radner, Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness
• Jerry Roper, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
• Evelyn Diaz, Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Workforce Investment Council
• Sr. Mary Paul McCaughey, O.P. Superintendent, Office of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Chicago
• Pastor Johnny Miller, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church
• Dr. Barbara Henley, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, University of Illinois at Chicago

City and sister agency staff will co-chair the various subcommittees of the “Complete Count Committee.”

MEDIA CONTACT:

Mayor’s Press Office, 312-744-3334