Kankakee, IL – The City of Kankakee’s Economic and Community Development Agency (ECDA) has been awarded a grant of $25,000 to encourage and mobilize “hard-to-count” (HTC) households to complete the decennial census questionnaire online, by phone, or on paper, between mid-March and by the end of April 2020.
The Mayors Caucus announced its 33 municipal subgrantees who were awarded the MMC 2020 Census Participation Grant. This award came after ECDA outlined a number of census outreach tactics for our historically undercounted populations and will work to support a complete count for the City of Kankakee. Kankakee ECDA was awarded along with municipalities such as Aurora, Joliet, Elmhurst, and others.
“The administration is committed to moving Kankakee Forward by pursuing resources that will enhance services for our residents. The ECDA team is diligently working to assure the City is prepared to fulfill a complete and accurate census count. It is imperative that every resident is counted so that the City of Kankakee has access to the state and federal funds that are allocated per capita,” said Mayor Wells-Armstrong.
The work plan for the awarded grant funds includes outreach and direct service, including paid hours for trusted community partners to assist people with completing the census questionnaire. This will provide residents the opportunity to have assistance in completing the census questionnaire during community events, at neighborhood meetings, and at other locations in each Ward. Funds will also be used for advertising via radio, newspaper, billboards, and printing to reach the community at large.
Kankakee Economic and Community Development (ECDA) is a local government agency whose mission is to improve the lives of Kankakee residents and enhance the economic vitality of communities through housing, economic development and community development. The ECDA administers programs that serve the neighborhoods and residents of the City of Kankakee provided by federal, state, and local funding.
For more information, contact ECDA at 815-933-0506 Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.
