Reaching Americans where they live, work and pray is a key strategy of the U.S. Census Bureau as it begins the once-a-decade count of everyone who lives in the United States.

Preachers, priests, rabbis and imams are trusted voices in their communities, and many are joining the Census Bureau to spread the word that responding to the 2020 Census is easy, safe and important for their communities.

On Feb. 18 in Washington, D.C., leaders representing a range of faiths will come together for a moderated panel discussion and news conference at the Washington National Cathedral.

These leaders will highlight the importance of ensuring the 2020 Census counts every person living in the United States, no matter their faith or religion.

While the 2020 Census will not ask about religious affiliation, outreach to faith communities and faith leaders plays a vital role in counting everyone, including traditionally hard-to-count groups such as immigrants, multicultural and minority populations, and young children.

Representatives of the following organizations are scheduled to participate: The All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center, the Catholic Health Association (CHA), the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church 6th District of Georgia, National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NaLEC), Latter-Day Saints (LDS) community, The Episcopal Church, St. Anianus Coptic Orthodox Church, Volunteers of America (VOA), Citygate Network and representatives from Jewish and Buddhist communities.

From March 27 to 29, faith leaders and organizations also are encouraged to use the power of their pulpits to tell their congregations how important the census is as part of the Faith Community Census Weekend of Action.

The panel discussion in Washington occurs less than a month before people will begin receiving invitations to respond to the 2020 Census. In mid-March, most households will be invited to respond online, by phone or by mail.

Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a count of every person living in the United States. The 2020 Census helps determine how many representatives each state has in Congress. It informs how billions of dollars in federal funding will be allocated to states and communities for housing, schools, food assistance, health care, and other vital social services for the next 10 years.