STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) – Second Lady of Pennsylvania Gisele Barretto Fetterman, says the census affects everyone in the state and will impact them for the next 10 years.

Gisele Barreto Fetterman, wife of John Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s Lieutenant Governor is traveling throughout the state talking to people about the importance of filling out census forms and working for the census bureau.

She tells audiences the story of how her family wasn’t counted on censuses, when they came to the U.S. from Brazil when she was a child.

“We were undocumented here for almost 15 years and went through this really long time of being invisible and I get to know be in this position, where I’m really visible, and remind everyone that they matter to as I did when I was a child,” Fetterman, said.

Fetterman and local leaders spoke to Penn State students at the Hub Wednesday night about how if you’re aren’t counted, less money goes to your community.

“That’s less funding for bus services, that’s less funding for mental health services, that’s less funding for the community of development block grants, which in Centre County tends to fund our water and sewer systems,” Mark Higgins, Centre County Commissioner said.

Centre County Commissioner Mark Higgins, says it’s also harder for school district’s, stores and resturants to plan for the future if the population isn’t accurate.

Fetterman says completing your census form is easier than ever, since for the first time in PA, you can do it online.

“That’s really exciting, I think that will reach a lot of folks, like college students who are specifically very techy folks,” Fetterman, said.

Census cards will be mailed out to county residents between March and May.
To learn how to fill it out online you can go to: https://2020census.gov/