News Release Tuesday, March 23, 2010

AHEPA ENCOURAGES 2010 CENSUS PARTICIPATION

Indicate Greek Ancestry on Question 9 of the Census

WASHINGTON - The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), the largest and oldest association of American citizens of Greek heritage, and countless Philhellenes, encourages your participation in the 2010 U.S. Census, announced Supreme President Nicholas A. Karacostas. AHEPA has been a long-standing census partner of the U.S. Department of Commerce helping to inform the community about the importance of census participation.

"We believe it is part of our civic duty to participate in the U.S. Census and it is important to do so for a few reasons," Karacostas said.

"Community-based organizations like AHEPA rely on accurate census data to ensure that our constituency is represented properly. On a larger scale, census results will help communities receive federal funding for hospitals, schools, and emergency services." The census is due to arrive in mailboxes in mid-March.

Question 9: Indicate You Are of Greek Ancestry
According to Karacostas, there are 10 questions on the 2010 U.S. Census form. Unlike in previous years, there is no question that specifically asks about your ancestry or ethnicity. However, in Question 9 you can mark or check "White," and under the designation "Some other race" write-in "Greek."

To view the questions on the census, please visit http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php.

For all questions about the 2010 U.S. Census, please visit http://2010.census.gov/2010census/index.php.