Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau sets out to count every person in the United States. It’s an important undertaking to ensure proper funding, representation and inclusion across our communities nationwide—which is why Target is an official partner of the U.S. Census Bureau. Isaac Reyes, Target’s vice president of government affairs, answered our questions on why the census matters, how to complete it (psst, it’s really easy) and how the results will have a major impact for years to come:
Why is it important to complete the 2020 Census?
The 2020 census is an opportunity to ensure everyone in the United States is counted. The census happens once every 10 years and shapes the future of your community for years to come. The data becomes the basis for decisions impacting how much funding every community receives for public services—everything from roads and schools to hospitals and fire departments.
The census also plays an important role in our democracy, with the goal of fair representation. The number of seats each state gets in the House of Representatives is based on how many people live in that state. The census tells us where people are living so the seats can be reallocated and the lines can be redrawn.
Additionally, Target is encouraging everyone to take the census because we believe that to create an inclusive society, we need to make sure every single person living in the United States is counted.
How does census data help Target serve our guests?
Our purpose is to help all families discover the joy of everyday life. In order to do that, we need to understand and reflect the communities we serve to ensure we deliver the products, services, experiences and messages our guests want and need.
Technically, everyone in the Unites States is required to complete their census form. As a result, census data is the most objective data that lets us know who lives and works in every community across the country. We use this data to determine store locations, assortment and language translation—just a few examples of the variety of ways we use the data to best serve our guests. Historically, particular groups have been undercounted, such as children under the age of 5 and English language learners. Knowing where these households are helps us better position our stores and assortment.
How do I complete the census?
2020 is the first year you can complete your census form online at https://my2020census.gov/. The census takes just ten minutes to complete but will shape the next ten years. Alternatively, most households have already received at least one mailing with a form to complete the census. You can complete it by mailing in the form at no cost.
How is Target encouraging people to complete the census?
Target is one of more than 500 businesses that are national partners to support a complete and accurate count in the 2020 Census. We have placed a reminder for our guests in our Weekly Ad this month, and we’ve also encouraged our team members to take their census. We want our team members, guests and other stakeholders to know that completing the census is important.
When should I complete the census?
Respond to the census as soon as possible! Starting in August and continuing through October, census takers will begin going to homes that haven’t responded to make sure everyone is counted.
Want to get involved? You can help raise awareness about the Census, too. You can even customize and share your own census graphic to challenge your friends and spread the word.
