FOUNDATION update Census
FOUNDATION update Census Town Hall The Chaldean Community Foundation hosted a Census Town Hall on March 5th, which included CCF President, Martin Manna, Sterling Heights Mayor, Michael Taylor, Chief Dale Dwojakowski from the Sterling Heights Police Department, and Macomb County Deputy County Executive, John Paul Rea. The town hall served to educate the community on the importance of participating in the Census. Nearly 80 attended the event, including the U.S. Census Bureau, City of Sterling Heights, Macomb County Clerk’s Office and the Chaldean Catholic Diocese whom all provided much support! Be counted in the 2020 Census to ensure an accurate count of the community! If you missed the town hall and you’d like to learn more about the 2020 Census, please visit: https://www.chaldeanfoundation.org/census The Census is now live at www.2020census.gov! An invitation to respond to the 2020 Census online was delivered to households in March. This mailing includes the Census ID that is needed to complete the Census online. Please note that the mailings will be addressed to “Dear Resident” and not to a specific individual. You can also respond by phone or mail-in paper questionnaire. The questionnaire is available in 12 additional languages, besides English. This includes Arabic. A letter from the CCF President Since opening our doors in 2011, we have continually risen to meet the needs of our community, breaking records each year for the number of people served. Acculturation is such a huge part of our mission; assisting those who are not familiar with the customs and language of their adopted country navigate the forms and files necessary to integrate their lives and culture with their new homeland. Nearly 33,000 individuals were served within our walls this past year, and with the addition of almost 19,000 square feet now in progress, we will grow and adapt to serve even more in 2020 and beyond. Our Mission Campaign reached the .4 million mark this year, short of our million goal but closer than we’ve ever been. We are incredibly grateful for those of you who have made a financial contribution, donated for a cause, volunteered, and supported us in any way. Thank you for your support, service and partnership. View 2019 annual report at chaldeanfoundation.org/resources Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Every ten years, our country conducts a Census to get an accurate count of all people living in the United States. The Census data not only determines how many representatives will be sent to Congress from each state, but it determines the allocation of critical federally funded programs that benefit all families. The Census has been conducted in this country since 1790 and is common throughout the world. We know from the Bible that even Joseph and a pregnant Mary made the long journey from Galilee to Bethlehem to be counted in the census as required by Caesar Augustus, obeying the laws and customs of their land. SAMPLE OF INVITATION TO RESPOND Ten years ago, at the time of the 2010 Census, Chaldeans were vastly under-counted and many Chaldeans did not participate in fear that data collected would be used against them. I want to assure you that this is not the case. All Census data is protected by law (Title 13 of the United States Code) which strictly prohibits data to be shared with any government agency or court, including immigration and law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, Census data remains sealed for 72 years. It is estimated that about ,800 in federal funding is allocated annually for each person counted in the census. With an estimated 160,000 Chaldeans living in Michigan, if all of us were to participate, that would translate to about .8 billion of federal funding to our local economy over the next ten years. This will have a great impact on programs that many of our people rely heavily upon, including healthcare, housing, children’s school lunches, roads, and other local services. An important part of completing the Census form will be to select “White” for race and write in “Chaldean” (C-H-A-L-D-E-A-N) for your family’s ethnic background to ensure we receive an accurate count of our community. HOW TO RESPOND TO THE RACE/ETHNICITY QUESTION TO ENSURE AN ACCURATE COUNT OF THE COMMUNITY 2020 Census Jobs It’s not too late to apply for a temporary parttime position with the 2020 Census. Apply to earn extra income and help your community at https://2020census.gov/en/jobs.html. CCF in the community The CCF was proud to be a part of the City of Sterling Heights’ 22nd Annual Cultural Exchange hosted by the Sterling Heights Ethnic Community Committee on March 6, 2020. I strongly encourage all families to complete the Census questionnaire. Instructions on how to complete the Census online will be mailed to you in mid-March. The online form will also be available in Arabic and can be completed on a smartphone or desktop. For more information and a guide on how to answer questions, I invite you to visit our website chaldeanchurch.org. May God Bless You, Most Rev. Francis Y. Kalabat Bishop of St. Thomas the Apostle Chaldean Catholic Diocese U.S.A 25603 Berg Road, Southfield, Michigan 48033 · Tel: (248) 351-0440 · Email: office@chaldeanchurch.org · chaldeanchurch.org 10 CHALDEAN NEWS APRIL 2020
hello! Marian offers a well-established all girls education including an extensive offering of college preparatory, honors and AP courses with athletic and co-curricular programming that rivals the most competitive private and public schools in Michigan. Spring Information Night for Middle School Students Tuesday, March 24 7 PM Marian is a Catholic college preparatory school for young women, sponsored by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. For admission information, call (248) 644-1946. www.marian-hs.org 7225 Lahser Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 Free Mobile App Now Available To Pay Property Taxes! Visit www.DivDat.com or Treasurer.WayneCounty.com for more information. To ask a question, please email the Treasurer’s team at TaxInfo@WayneCounty.com or call 313-224-5990. If you need assistance please call our Mobile App helpline number 888-427-9869. APRIL 2020 CHALDEAN NEWS 11
