MCALLEN – With the 2020 Census underway, Rio Grande Valley cities are looking for creative ways to educate communities about the importance of being counted.

The census will account for the amount of people living in a particular place. The more people in your area, the more state representation and federal funds the community will receive.

Kate Horan, the director at the McAllen Public Library, says children under the age of 10 often go unaccounted for.

Now, thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Texans Care for Children Foundation, the City of McAllen will soon launch a new program to provide coloring books, art kits and census information with the funds.

“By providing story times, coloring books, a fun environment right for the children to be engaged, but also engaging the parents or the caregivers to say we want to make sure that your children are counted. Even down to the littlest baby,” explained Horan.

Money in the Valley is at risk being lost if every person is not counted.

Watch the video above for the full report.