U.S. flag
              An official website of the United States government Skip to main content   end of header Census.gov Newsroom Releases 2010 Census
 Newsroom Archive
 Skip left menu navigation
 About the Newsroom
 				Facts for Features
 				**News Releases**
 				Press Kits
 				Tip Sheets
 Release Information CB10-CN.01 **Contact:**  Public Information Office
(301) 763-3030 (phone)
(301) 763-3762 (fax)
(301) 457-1037 (TDD)PIO@census.gov
 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  MONDAY, JAN. 4, 2010 Census Bureau Launches 2010 Census Road Tour Across Nation *'Portrait of America' Vehicles Aim to Increase Awareness and Participation in Census*  The 2010 Census Portrait of America Road Tour set out today from New York City's Times Square, launching a cross-country interactive experience designed to increase awareness and encourage participation in the nation's once-a-decade population count. During the next four months, the tour will be part of the largest civic outreach and awareness campaign in U.S. history -- stopping and exhibiting at more than 800 events nationwide. From local parades and festivals to major sporting events like the Super Bowl and NCAA Final Four, the Census Bureau will attempt to motivate America's growing and increasingly diverse population to complete and mail back 10-question census forms when they arrive in mailboxes March 15-17. "The Road Tour seeks to educate and empower every person living across our country to take part and participate in the 2010 Census," Census Bureau Director Robert Groves said. "Attendees at Road Tour events will learn about the census, how it affects their local communities and even share their personal stories about why the census is important to them at interactive kiosks and exhibits." The regional vehicles offer a similar user experience, including GPS technology that allows visitors to track the tour online as it happens and through daily social media postings on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Flickr and YouTube. Regional launch events include vehicles departing from national landmarks across the nation, such as the USS Constitution in Boston, Independence Mall in Philadelphia, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Altogether, more than 3 million people will have the opportunity to share their photos and stories, explaining why the census will make a difference in their communities. This constantly changing "portrait of America" will be captured during all Road Tour events and will live online at 2010census.gov. Each vehicle has a unique name selected to help educate people about the Census Bureau, and they have unique Twitter handles for on-the-road updates. For updates on all 13 vehicles from January through April, follow us on Twitter at: @2010Portrait. Vehicle Name
      Census Region
      Unique Twitter HandleMail It Back
      National
      @10MailItBackRepresentation
      Atlanta
      @Representat10nDemocracy
      Boston
      @10DemocracyFounders
      Charlotte
      @10FoundersPopulation
      Chicago
      @10PopulationTake 10
      Dallas
      @10Take10Geography
      Denver
      @10GeographyStatistics
      Detroit
      @10StatisticsDecennial
      Kansas City
      @10DecennialConfidential
      Los Angeles
      @10ConfidentialLiberty
      New York
      @10LibertyConstitution
      Philadelphia
      @10ConstitutionAbacus
      Seattle
      @10Abacus The Portrait of America Road Tour was designed to minimize its impact on the environment, with its 223 metric ton carbon footprint being offset through carbon credit donations by Carbonfund.org. Other national partners associated with the tour include Best Buy, Google, Sprint, 3M, MTV, Telemundo, Black Entertainment Television, Country Music Television, Sesame Street and Valero Energy. These partners have pledged to help increase awareness about the 2010 Census and have each provided resources to make the Road Tour and the census a success. ABOUT THE 2010 CENSUS The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States. By law, everyone in the United States, both citizens and noncitizens, must be counted every 10 years. Census data are used to reapportion congressional seats to states and directly affect how more than $400 billion per year in federal funding is distributed to state, local and tribal governments. The 2010 Census form is one of the shortest census questionnaires in history and takes about 10 minutes to complete. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents' answers with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities.
 
 CONNECT WITH US

Information Quality
                    Data Linkage Infrastructure
                    Data Protection and Privacy Policy
                    Accessibility      
                    FOIA
                    Inspector General
                    No FEAR Act
                    U.S. Department of Commerce
                    USA.gov
                   Measuring America's People, Places, and Economy