News from the City of Indio

Final efforts include new Census pop-ups and drive-throughs, free PPE, staff neighborhood canvassing.

Indio, CA: With just over one week to go before the Census deadline, Indio is ramping up efforts to encourage participation with a “Final Countdown” slate of events across the City.

Among the activities scheduled are a series of drive-through stations where those who complete the Census questionnaire on site will receive one free box of face masks and a $10 gift card to Stater Brothers. City staff and their families are also helping Census staff by walking through neighborhoods in low response areas providing door hangers in English and Spanish, urging completion of the Census.

Indio’s Census participation remains one of the lowest in the Coachella Valley, with less than 54 percent of residents responding. Census participation is directly tied to federal funding for infrastructure, education and health programs. The Census also directly correlates to representation in government. Over two thirds of Indio’s population is Hispanic, and an undercount of already underrepresented diverse communities will deprive those communities of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Thanks to cooperation with community partners such as IID and the owners of the Towne & Country Center and the Indio Towne Center, the City of Indio is proud to help sponsor additional Mobile Questionnaire Assistance centers (MQAs), also called mobile pop-ups, at a number of locations around Indio beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Sept. 23, 24 & 25 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 81673 Hwy 111 (Towne & Country Center next to El Super)
Sept. 22 (Tuesday)
Drive-thru MQA 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 42900 Jackson St. (24 Hour Fitness parking lot)
Sept. 24 (Thursday)
Drive-thru MQA 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 42900 Jackson St. (24 Hour Fitness parking lot)
Sept. 26 (Saturday)
Drive-thru MQA 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 42900 Jackson St. (24 Hour Fitness parking lot)

Visit Indio.org/2020Census for additional MQAs are they are scheduled, as well as up-to-date figures on Indio’s response rate.