The Carroll County NAACP was recently awarded a plaque by the U.S. Census Bureau for helping the bureau achieve a complete and accurate census count this year.

The group’s efforts will help assure that Georgia residents are accurately reflected in the 2010 Portrait of America, according to the letter from the census bureau’s Atlanta Regional Director, George Grandy Jr.

Doris Turner, partnership specialist for the bureau serving the Coweta area, presented the plaque and letter of appreciation to NAACP on July 23.

“The NAACP is a valued partner for the 2010 Census,” Turner said. “We decided to give them a thank you plaque letting them know how much we appreciate their hard work for raising awareness and inspiring participation in the community. We appreciate everything they did regarding the ‘March to the Mailbox’ campaign.”

The national campaign was held earlier this year to boost mail participation rates in the once-a-decade population count.

NAACP assistant director Narva Farris said the group also provided agents with a place to field calls from those wanting to learn more about the census.

“Some minorities in the community had not been counted and we wanted to give any assistance that we could to get them counted,” he said.

Farris said that increasing the number of people represented in a the community will bring more state and federal funds to the area, though some residents may feel uncomfortable with disclosing how many people live in their home because they are afraid the government may take away their disability benefits.

“They are not aware of what it means to the community,” he said.

Farris said the NAACP’s goal is to educate all minority groups, including poor whites.

“The NAACP is an organization geared to help underprivileged people with their problems,” he said.