The Census Bureau has launched the 2010 Census Language Assistance Program to help residents in the Polish American community who don't speak English complete their census form. Building on the success of the Census 2000 Language Assistance Program, the Census Bureau offers several resources to help each community achieve an accurate 2010 Census count. The Language Assistance Program also helps reduce the cost of the 2010 Census by decreasing the number of census takers that must go door-to-door to assist residents when filling out the form. 

Language Assistance Guides are available upon request in 59 languages, including Polish, and are used to explain how to complete an English-language census form. Residents can find these guides at their local Questionnaire Assistance Centers. The guide is also available to read, download or print at www.2010Census.gov. 

This website also includes an informational video in Polish explaining step-by-step instructions for filling out the census form. In addition, Polish-speakers can call Telephone Questionnaire Assistance at1-866-872-6868 after February 25 in order to request to be sent a Polish Language Assistance Guide. Residents should be aware that there will not be any Polish speaking agents via Telephone Questionnaire Assistance.

The Census Bureau encourages state and local government officials and community leaders to help their community receive its fair share of federal funding. Their local, targeted efforts will reach the hard-to-count populations in their communities through messaging about the Language Assistance Program resources and services. Local leaders speak the language and know the pulse of the local community, which can help ensure that everyone has the ability to participate in the 2010 Census. For example, the Piast Institute in Chicago is providing useful resources to residents for the 2010 Census.

Residents can contact their Regional Census Center for a list of local Questionnaire Assistance Centers if you need assistance in completing the census form. For those who feel that they may not have been counted can visit a Be Counted site to obtain a census form. 

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 non-citizens, must be counted every 10 years. Census data is 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 forms in the 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.