Flint, MI— Wellness Services Inc. will be hosting a 2020 Census Food Truck event this Friday. A census representative will be onsite to help community members fill out the census online via tablets.

Wellness Services Inc., an organization that provides care and resources for those affected by AIDS/HIV, partnered with Flint Pride and Safe Space Ally Center to put on the event. The first 50 attendees will receive a free meal courtesy of Northern Smoke BBQ

“We all came together for the 2020 Census to raise awareness around the importance completion and to educate our community members about how the census directly affects and funds programs in our neighborhoods,” Prevention Specialist for Wellness Services Inc. Rachel Strickland said.

The last reported census response rate in Flint is 48.6% which is well below the statewide average, 2020 Census Coordinator for the City of Flint Anthony Turner said. If response rates do not improve, the city stands to lose out on $3 billion over the next 10 years, he said.

A census representative will be available to address any questions community members might have and to help them complete the census online. Participants will also have the opportunity to register to vote.

The first 50 attendees will get a choice of sandwich, two sides, a drink and ice cream, Strickland said. One pair of Apple AirPods with a charging case will be raffled off and all participants have a chance to win, she said.

The event will take place outside Wellness Services Inc. at 311 E Court St, Flint, MI 48502. For more information, check out the Facebook event page or contact Rachel Strickland at rstrickland@wellnessaids.org.

Carmen Nesbitt is a journalist with diverse experience in news reporting and feature writing. She wrote for Hour Detroit and SEEN Magazine before joining the Flint Beat news team as an education and public...