Brownsville/Cameron County CCC

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QUICK FACTS

The City and County established separate CCCs, received funding from the United Way of Southern Cameron County, and worked hard to engage rural community members through food distributions and trusted voices, like faith-based leaders.

Cameron County Self-Response Rates:

2010: 56.4%

2020: 52.5%

The City of Brownsville and Cameron County established separate CCCs for the 2020 Census and partnered on numerous outreach projects.

A major funder and leader of the area’s work was the United Way of Southern Cameron County, also called the Rio Grande Valley United Way.

A unique barrier to Census completion in the RGV was a lack of internet access, preventing some residents from completing their questionnaires online or learning about the importance of the Census. Much of the community is also low-income and suffered from food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strategies the CCC utilized to reach these HTC communities included delivering free groceries door-to-door with Census information, having Census volunteers attend food distribution events, and partnering with local churches and other faith-based organizations to encourage Census response.

Utilizing trusted community voices was also important in alleviating fear of the Census question, as many HTC community members were undocumented.

Resources

Contacts

  • Cameron County Clerk’s Office | 956-550-1327

  • Wendy De Leon, Administrative Assistant at United Way of Southern Cameron County | Wendy.DeLeon@unitedwayrgv.org | 956-548-6880

  • United Way of Southern Cameron County | information@unitedwayrgv.org | 956-548-6880