Community Impact Grant is Part of Company-Wide Initiative to Help Ensure All Get Counted in First Digital Census
Comcast NBCUniversal today announced that the United Way of the National Capital Area (Washington, D.C.) and immigrant advocacy organization CASA (Silver Spring, MD) will each receive a grant to bolster their efforts supporting the 2020 Census, including:
- United Way of the National Capital Area (Washington, D.C.): removing barriers to trust, increasing access to the online questionnaire and bolstering participation through mobilizing community partnerships
- CASA (Silver Spring, MD): responding to the unique conditions affecting Latinx and immigrant communities
Given the disruption that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on individuals’ everyday lives, getting people to participate in the 2020 Census online from home is now more important than ever. The Washington, D.C.-area grants are part of 30 grants distributed to community organizations and nonprofits around the country in support of work to educate communities on the importance of completing the Census. Many of these organizations are working diligently in local communities to help ensure everyone is counted.
“Participation in the 2020 Census is critical for helping to determine where federal resources are allocated that can change the quality of life for those living in underserved communities,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, Senior Vice President, Community Investment, and President of the Comcast Foundation at Comcast NBCUniversal. “Giving back to the communities where our employees and customers live is one of our company’s core principles, especially during this uncertain time. To help do our part, we’re working directly with key community stakeholders, partners, and organizations that are leading their own grassroots projects to ensure the most accurate 2020 Census count.”
“We are so grateful to Comcast for their generous support of our Census 2020 efforts,” said Rosie Allen-Herring, President and CEO, United Way of the National Capital Area. “With this grant, your United Way can extend its work in spreading the word to the community that filling out your Census is one of the best actions you can take today to help your community recover and prepare for the next decade!”
“The pandemic means working around social distancing with creative outreach through CASA’s extensive membership network,” said Luis Aguilar, CASA Virginia Director. “With calling, texting, and digital ads among other tactics, we are steps closer to ensuring all are counted. Allocating the right resources, especially now in this public health crisis, will provide a better quality of life for so many hardworking families throughout the next 10 years.”
These grants are just one way that Comcast is leveraging its unique media and technology assets and programs to inform, engage and mobilize Americans to participate in the Census. The company also produced a suite of public service announcements currently running on NBC and Telemundo stations nationwide. The bilingual announcements were crafted in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau to reach and engage with all demographics. The PSAs also are hosted on the X1 Census destination page, which Xfinity customers can find by saying, “2020 Census,” into their X1 Voice Remote.
Additionally, Telemundo, the nation’s leading media company serving Hispanics, has focused its energy to lead its own initiative focused on targeting Spanish-speaking individuals and Spanish-language communities. The company’s Hazte Contar! (Get Counted!) initiative provides critical information for Telemundo’s audience to help raise awareness of the Census process and connects them with local community partners. As part of this initiative, the company created a bilingual website that also answers questions, addresses concerns and dispels myths about the Census. The site platforms also include a link to the U.S. Census Bureau’s website.
To further support the 2020 Census, and as part of Comcast NBCUniversal’s comprehensive response to COVID-19, anyone can use Xfinity WiFi hotspots for free to complete the 2020 Census form. While people should follow the guidance being provided to them by their local authorities for any public or outdoor location, they can review a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots at www.xfinity.com/wifi. Once at a hotspot, individuals should select the “xfinitywifi” network name in the list of available hotspots and then launch a browser.
In addition to community impact grants, Comcast NBCUniversal and Telemundo are also working, through the longstanding Internet Essentials program, to engage local communities and break down barriers of trust to help encourage participation in the 2020 Census. This effort includes a variety of educational and access initiatives, including distributing mailings to 15,000 local and national partners as well as 26,000 households, reaching tens of thousands of low-income families in communities with historically low Census response rates.
