CHICAGO - Today, Uber and the City of Chicago announced a partnership to support the City’s effort to boost participation in the upcoming United States Census. Uber will contribute $100,000 to be distributed to community organizations that are assisting in educating hard-to-count residents and ensuring that they understand the importance of their participation.

Only two-thirds of Chicagoans participated in the last U.S. Census. This year, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot has set a goal of 75% participation to ensure every Chicagoan is counted and that they feel safe participating. The census count begins April 1 and ends on July 31.

“A complete and accurate count in the upcoming census is vital for Chicago’s future, especially since it determines how federal dollars are distributed for essential services, including for schools, infrastructure, affordable housing, nutrition programs and more,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “From the beginning, we made it clear that the City’s mobilization efforts would require coordination and partnership with Chicago’s corporate, philanthropic and community organizations, which is why we are grateful Uber will help ensure all our residents are counted.”

“Uber wants to help the City of Chicago reach its goal, especially in ensuring that those who live in hard to reach neighborhoods are counted,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Head of U.S. and Canada, Uber. “Ensuring these community organizations have the resources they need to successfully educate residents about the importance of the process is vital to the city and its residents.”

Because this is the first year the census will be done electronically, Uber will also make its three Greenlight Hubs (driver support centers) available for census counting.

An accurate count is vital for Chicago as it determines the funding that is instrumental to maintaining infrastructure, public safety, public health, and other City services.

To ensure the selection of community organizations was transparent, the City partnered with Forefront, a non-profit and leader in preparing Illinois for the 2020 Census, in a Request for Proposal (RFP) process. Those selected will receive grant funding -- including Uber’s contribution -- that will help them with targeted neighborhood outreach and other initiatives to increase participation for historically-undercounted communities.

Nearly half of Chicago’s 2.7 million residents are considered “hard-to-count” by the U.S. Census Bureau. This includes families of color, children under five, the elderly, veterans, returning residents, individuals with high rates of mobility and housing instability, residents with disabilities, those with limited access to the Internet, and those who may be afraid to participate.

To learn more about the City’s 2020 Census efforts, please visit census2020.chicago.gov to find up-to-date information on how to participate in the census, city resources aiding to ensure a full count, and what’s at stake for this year’s count.

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