2010 is not only the beginning of a new decade; it is also marks the time for the Census to be taken. To help spread the news about the 2010 Census Doris Jones, a US Census Partnership Specialist, spoke to a crowd at the Forest Acres Neighborhood Association on Tuesday February 23.

Jones said that South Carolina ranked 49th in the 2000 Census in amount of responses and hopes that 2010 will be different. On March 15 the Census forms will be mailed out. The form will consist of ten questions. Census forms will only be delivered to street mail boxes, not post office boxes. Anyone who receives mail by P.O. Box will be able to get a Census form at public locations that will be announced at a later time. Jones says that Census forms should be returned by April 1.

Any forms that are returned later or anyone who does not return a Census form will be subject to a visit from Census takers. The visits will take place between May and June.

The Census determines how the federal government allocates $400 million to states and communities. It also is used to determine locations of future businesses, schools, new housing, or hospitals.

For more information on the 2010 Census, visit 2010census.gov.