BUFFALO, N.Y. — Monday, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown held another news conference to get the word out about filling out your 2020 census.
Brown was joined by Buffalo Schools Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash who spoke about the importance of an accurate count when it comes to school funding.
Buffalo Schools receive an average of $100 million in federal funding each year. The superintendent said that money isn't just important inside the classrooms, but also for helping with meals for those in need.
"We have been serving now up to over 3.6 million meals to families Monday, Wednesday, and Friday," Cash said. "Those dollars are federal dollars. And the food security and nutritional issues of our community are at stake as well."
We also planned to ask the superintendent about how the school year is going and attendance numbers, but he did not take any off-topic questions at Monday's event.
If you still need to fill out the census, you can do so online by going to 2020census.gov or by calling 844-330-2020 to complete the questionnaire over the phone. October 31 is the last day to complete the census.
“It’s important that people understand that the census directly influences education, as census counts impact the federal funds allocated for educational programs," Brown said. "The new Buffalo School of Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management, located in the historic C.W. Miller Livery Stable, is one of eight new high schools recently opened as part of an effort to bridge the equality gap. It supports our youth, while playing an important role in further engaging Buffalo’s growing hospitality, sports management industry and hotel management industry. An accurate census count is key for this school, and others, to get the funding needed to serve every student who walks through its doors. We only have one shot every ten years to get the census right and students are counting on us to get the job done.”