Agudath Israel Announced As Complete Count Fund Awardee Joining Citywide Effort To Ensure A Fair And Complete Count

Agudath Israel of America is pleased to announce it has received an award from the NYC Complete Count Fund — a partnership between CUNY, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Council. The NYC Complete Count Fund is a first-of-its-kind Census-related community organizing program that will support and resource community-based organizations to help NYC reach a full and accurate count in the 2020 Census. These funds will support the Agudath Israel Census Outreach Project.

The Complete Count Fund was built with the understanding that local community-based organizations — which serve New Yorkers in the communities where they live and in the languages that they speak — are the most trusted messengers of important and sensitive information.

Agudath Israel is proud to join this coordinated citywide effort to build awareness about the census, convey its importance, , and help bridge the digital divide that might prevent many New Yorkers from participating in next year’s first online census.

Through our extensive reach and particularly through our Department of Educational Services, Agudath Israel will work with schools, synagogues, and local community based organizations to ensure the most accurate count possible.

“Agudath Israel has a long history of service to the Orthodox Jewish community, including outreach in previous census counts” said Rabbi Labish Becker, Executive Director. “We thank Mayor de Blasio, City Council Speaker Johnson, and CUNY for providing this important funding.”

A complete and accurate count is critical to the future of New York City. The census will determine how more than $650 billion in federal funds for education, housing, roads and bridges, and more, gets distributed annually throughout the country. It will also determine the number of seats each state is allocated in the House of Representatives (and thus, the Electoral College). Based on current estimates, an undercount could cost the State of New York up to two congressional seats.

In such a complex city, enriched by such linguistic and cultural diversity, New York City’s full participation in the first online census faces a unique set of challenges. As New Yorkers, we have embraced these challenges as an opportunity. Together, these citywide efforts will lay the groundwork for a civic engagement apparatus that will continue well beyond the 2020 census.

The Complete Count Fund will launch in early January with an all-day kick-off event and training.