GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Pastor Willie Gholston II knows he has a platform in his community and he's using it to help.
"The church has to be in a place that bridges the gap between the community and provides all the needs, especially within communities of color. We see that often they are under-counted and underrepresented," he said.
That's why Gholston, the pastor of the First Community AME Church on the Southeast side of Grand Rapids, is making sure his congregation fills out the U.S. Census. The Census is taken each decade and helps determine where billions of dollars are spent on services like schools, roads and hospitals.
"We believe that if we help when it comes to education and it helps when it comes to the business sector, it helps to lift up the lives and betterment of persons, then it's our duty and responsibility to do that to be counted," he said.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, the church allowed people inside to use their computers to fill out the Census. Now, they're focusing on making phone calls and sending out emails to make sure the entire congregation gets counted.
Gholston isn't the only religious leader working on this effort.
"The churches have been great. The pastors have been working with us and we’re out there partnering with them as much as we can," said Grand Rapids Census Coordinator Kathi Harris.
The city has also been working with other community partners to raise the number of residents who fill out the Census. As of Monday 69.5% of the city had filled out their own Census and around 10% had been counted by enumerators.
"We have something going on every day whether it’s 2 hours here, 2 hours there. We try to get out along with knocking on doors and talking to families on the phone. Every day it’s a new event. Every day is something different," Harris said.
With the Census deadline of September 30 coming up fast, both the city and the church will be picking up their efforts in the weeks to come.
"I just hope and I pray that we’ll take those ten minutes to answer those nine questions because those will have an impact for a life to come," Gholston said.
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