The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region has partnered with Census 2020 to ensure a complete count of the Armenian-American community.

2020 Census Questionnaires will be sent out in mid-March, and it is vital that the Armenian American community identifies their race/national origin as “Armenian” to secure federal funding for community services and programs. Census data is used to determine how over $700 billion in Federal Government funding is allocated each year.

Historically, the Armenian community has been under-counted. While we estimate the number of Armenian-Americans to be over 1.5 million, Census data captures fewer than 500,000. In California, where the Armenian population is over 1,000,000, Census records under 250,000. That means the Armenian-American community nation-wide has been missing out on tens of millions of dollars in funding for community services including (but not limited to):

Funding programs and educational resources in Armenian schools;

Servicing our elderly population through in-home care and nursing tailored to the needs of the Armenian-American community;

Funding healthcare and medical services in Armenian communities;

Armenian language services to accommodate our community needs;

And with the Census also determining how Congressional districts are apportioned, a complete count of the Armenian-American community will help maximize our collective voice in 2020 and beyond.

In order for our community to secure funding for these vital services, it is crucial that Armenian-Americans record their identity as “Armenian” on Question 9 of the Cenus Questionnaire. Only by recording your national origin as “Armenian” can we ensure a complete count of the Armenian-American community.

Follow the campaign on Facebook and Instagram, and visit the website to learn more about the #HyeCount campaign and how you can participate.

For more information, contact us at info@hyecount.org or call (818) 791-5515. If you are interested in volunteering and raising awareness in your community, please contact us at info@hyecount.org.