Residents are encouraged to complete their 2020 census soon, as the deadline comes up next month.

It is an opportunity that comes once every 10 years. The information residents submit in their census boils down to two things – representation and funding.

U.S. Census Bureau New York Regional Director Jeff Behler says, "These are for programs like Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, for WIC. This is for infrastructure within our neighborhoods from the money to repair our roads, improve our bridges and tunnels, our mass transit system, parks."

Hundreds of billions of dollars are disseminated to communities based on formulas that use census data.

Health care for funding hospitals is something to consider as well. As the nation turns around from COVID-19 and once vaccines get distributed, knowing how many people live in a certain area and what their ages are will be crucial.

The census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution and has been taken every decade since 1790.

This year is the first time in its history that residents are able to fill out information not just by mail, but by phone and online too.

The census is based on a snapshot of one point in time – April 1, 2020. So, even the many New Yorkers who left their primary residences at the start of the pandemic still need to fill out the census with their old address in mind.

"So if you normally lived in New York City but you left to go to your second home due to COVID concerns, you still need to fill out your census as if you were living at your apartment or your home in New York City," says Behler.

More information on how to fill out the census can be found online.