From: KHOU.com

Nine months from the 2010 Census, local groups are working to get more Latinos counted than ever before.

Latinos make up one of the fastest-growing demographics in the United States. Forty-four million of them live here. They account for more than 30 percent of the Texas population.

Historically, they’ve have been a difficult to measure demographic. They had one of the lowest response rates in the 2000 Census. So local groups such as NALEO – the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials – are working to get them counted.

“They’re engaging themselves in the American political process and, at the end of the day, they’re helping their families and children,” said Claudia Hogue, Houston Director of Civic Engagement for NALEO.

Roughly 3 percent of Latinos nationwide were undercounted in 2000; that’s about one million people. Estimates suggest that cities like Houston lost out on tens of millions of dollars in federal funds because of that. States, on average, get $1,200 every year for every person counted.

Flor Bonilla, an immigrant from El Salvador, became a citizen two weeks ago. She plans to take part in the census, she said, because of her family. Latinos, whether they’re citizens or not, should not be afraid of taking part in it.

“Maybe you don’t need it,” she said. “But do it for your kids because they’re going to need it.”

NALEO’s plans are similar to the City of Houston’s plans. The city is launching a grassroots, community-based awareness program to get more people counted. Efforts are expected to ramp up this fall.

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