THE ASSOCIATION FOR A BETTER NEW YORK
New York, NY
Contact: Ryan Carbain, rcarbain@rubenstein.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ABNY, NYCETC and Local Partners Launch Citywide Census Worker Recruitment Effort

ABNY and NYCETC to Hold Citywide Recruitment Event December 12, 2019

(New York, NY December 10, 2019) –The Association for a Better New York (ABNY), New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) and local partners announce the launch of their campaign to encourage New Yorkers to apply for jobs which support getting out the count for the 2020 Census.

With this announcement, ABNY and NYCETC join a national effort to recruit Census takers, recruiting assistants, office clerks and supervisory staff, ensuring that every community is counted accurately and efficiently.

In addition to raising awareness of the Census Bureau’s efforts to hire New Yorkers, ABNY and NYCETC will co-host New Yorkers Count: Jobs for New Yorkers in the 2020 Census on December 12 at Hunter College. The event will highlight how city and business leaders can come together to raise awareness about the Census job application process, requirements and training. Workforce development leaders attending the program will receive additional information on positions available to job seekers in their communities and networks before the hiring process begins in January 2020.

The campaign is also visible atop yellow taxi cabs and on LinkNYC kiosks throughout New York City. Taxi cab and kiosk advertising space has been generously donated to ABNY’s 2020 Census recruitment effort from advertising companies Firefly and Intersection.

“Working on the 2020 Census provides more than the benefits of a good income to help pay the bills, it empowers residents with the information and skills to be leaders in their own communities,” said Melva Miller, Executive Vice President at the Association for a Better New York leading the Census effort. “It is so important that we invest in recruiting those local community leaders in the critical task of counting all New York residents, because no one can accomplish the level of outreach in their neighborhoods like they can.”

This announcement follows the Census Bureau’s confirmation on October 22 that noncitizens will be hired to help with enumeration and translation efforts following months of uncertainty. Census workers are critical in the effort to make sure all U.S. households are counted in the decennial census regardless of the language they speak and their citizenship status.

The benefits of working with the Census Bureau in New York City include competitive pay of $25 per hour, flexible hours, paid training, mileage or transit reimbursement while on official duty and weekly paychecks.

“The Census 2020 is a vital tool and process with immeasurable civic, economic and political consequences that must reflect all New Yorkers at every step of the way, regardless of birthplace, language, creed or socioeconomic and ethnic background,” said Jose Ortiz, Jr., Executive Director of the NYC Employment and Training Coalition. “NYCETC will leverage the power of our 160+ members who provide job training and employment services across the five boroughs to build a hiring pipeline of New Yorkers who reflect and hold deep trust in their communities. By being intentional in our outreach from the onset, we ensure that the Census 2020 reveals New York City’s greatest strength – our diversity.”

“Even though the Census is a national event, in order to be successful, it must be conducted at the local level,” said Jeff T. Behler, Director of the New York Regional Office, U.S. Census Bureau. “We need members of every community throughout NYC to apply for Census jobs today! Be a part of history, serve your community, and get paid $25 per hour!”

“Through our CUNY Census Corp program, the City University of New York will offer employment opportunities to more than 200 students to help ensure an accurate census count in 2020,”said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Our students live in every borough, speak numerous languages and reflect the cultural diversity of New York City. They are perfectly positioned to help reach hard-to-count communities that have eluded census counters in the past. By helping New York City garner the fair and accurate census count it deserves, students will also help build their own skills and experiences that will serve them well when they seek meaningful employment after graduation.”

“It is critical that we get an accurate headcount in the upcoming census. This will not only determine billions of federal funds we receive, but also the number of representatives we will get in Congress. There are tens of thousands of 2020 Census jobs available in New York City, and these jobs, especially door-to-door census takers, will be key in getting a complete count. Census takers not only must know their communities, they also need to be trusted by their neighbors and speak their languages. The City Council is helping to hire New Yorkers who reflect their communities, and more than a dozen council members, in partnership with the Census Bureau, held job fairs to assist with the application process during the Census Bureau’s national recruiting week. It is vital that we do everything we can to count every New Yorker – our future depends on it,” said Council Speaker Corey Johnson.

“The 2020 Census isn’t just an important effort for the future of federal funding and representation for New York – it’s also a fantastic opportunity to activate New Yorkers seeking employment opportunities that benefit their communities and provide valuable work experience. I want to thank ABNY and the NYC Employment and Training Coalition for holding this Census 2020 Job Development Seminar and helping job seekers connect with community based organizations in their own communities. Their on-the-ground knowledge will be critical for ensuring a complete count next year,” said New York City Councilwoman Carlina Rivera, Co-Chair of the Council’s 2020 Census Task Force.

“At a time when distrust of government is at an all-time high, we need to step up and be the face of the Census Bureau in our hardest-to-count neighborhoods. A knock on the door from a neighbor, relative, friend, or respected community leader is the best chance we have to ensure a complete count,” said Councilman Carlos Menchaca, Co-Chair of the New York City Council’s Census 2020 Task Force. “Now with the Census Bureau able to hire non-citizens, we must encourage as many New Yorkers as possible to apply for and work at the Census Bureau. I applaud ABNY and NYCETC for recognizing the urgency of this moment and dedicating time and resources to help the City recruit its own.”

“At Firefly, we’re mission-driven to support the cities we operate in,” said Firefly Director of Public Affairs and Partnerships Gregory Stock. “It’s an honor to work with groups like ABNY and NYCETC to ensure every community is counted accurately and help build a more equitable New York.”

“The 2020 Census is not only critical to ensuring that our communities have the resources and political representation that we need, but also represent a great employment opportunity. At CPC, we know that the best way to ensure that our communities get fully counted is for the Census to employ our community members, so we are thrilled to work alongside NYCETC and ABNY, along with other partners, to help fully staff the Census,” said Wayne Ho, President & CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC).

Click here to register for the Citywide Training Center’s recruitment information event.
To get involved online, visit ABNY’s website or tweet #WeCount to @ABNYCensus2020.
For more information on available jobs and Census office locations, visit the Census Bureau’s 2020 Census website.

About ABNY Census 2020 for a Better New York

In January 2018, ABNY launched a census organizing and action committee called Census 2020 for a Better New York, which is comprised of corporate, non-profit, community and union leaders, to help New York achieve the most accurate census count possible. The committee is co-chaired by Steven Rubenstein, chair of the Association for a Better New York; Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation; and Carl Weisbrod, former director of the New York City Department of City Planning. Melva M. Miller, former Queens deputy borough president, serves as Census 2020 for a Better New York’s Executive Vice President. A full list of Census 2020 for a Better New York committee members is available here.

About the Association for a Better New York

For over 40 years, ABNY has worked as a catalyst to bring business, political, labor, and non-profit leaders together to address problems facing the economic and social well-being of the city. Under the leadership of Steven Rubenstein and Executive Director Angela Sung Pinsky, the organization continues to carry out its mission by providing forums and programs that work to build a better New York.

About the New York City Employment and Training Coalition

NYCETC supports the workforce & economic development community to ensure that every New Yorker has access to the skills, training & education needed to thrive in the local economy, and that every business is able to maintain a highly skilled workforce. Founded in 1997 as the membership organization for New York City workforce providers, NYCETC has played a vital role in the workforce community, focused on advancing policy priorities and convening the sector to build capacity by sharing information and best practices.