October 18, 2019 - Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry today welcomed members of the Fort Wayne Complete Count Committee to their first meeting. The Committee is a group of volunteers appointed by the Mayor and charged with ensuring the community’s Census 2020 count is as complete and accurate as possible.

Comprised of key community leaders representing Fort Wayne’s diverse populations, the committee will partner with federal officials and grassroots leaders to create strategies for informing all residents about the 2020 census, which begins on April 1, 2020. Members of the committee are listed on the following page. Palermo Galindo, the City’s Community Liaison, is the staff to the committee.

“Getting an accurate census count is critical for the City of Fort Wayne,” said Mayor Tom Henry. “Federal dollars needed to support our residents, schools, roads and more are allocated based on our population as determined by the Census. I urge every resident to complete their Census form so that our community will receive our fair share of federal funding.”

The Census happens once every 10 years and all households are asked to complete the Census form on April 1, 2020. Census data determines the number of Congressional seats Indiana receives in the U.S. House of Representatives and guides the redistricting of state and local legislative districts.

Census data also helps determine the amount of federal funding for state and local governments. For example, Indiana, its residents and government organizations received just under $18 billion in federal funding in 2016. The dollars were allocated for Medicaid, Medicare, food assistance, highway construction, Title 1 grants to local schools, special education grants, school lunch programs, low-income housing programs and more.

Members the City of Fort Wayne Complete Count Committee

  • Adrian Curry (Art Leadership Center)
  • Aisha-Amina Smiley (Indiana University Fort Wayne)      
  • Andrew Hoffman (NeighborLink)
  • Austin Knox (Wayne Township)
  • Camille Garrison (Volunteer Center Fort Wayne) 
  • David Loya (Congolese Community Organization)
  • Dr. Debra “Faye” Williams-Robbins (Fort Wayne Community Schools)
  • Deborah Watson (East Allen County Schools)
  • Denny Zimmerman (Northwest Area Partnership)
  • Fernando Zapari  (El Mexicano Newspaper)
  • Greta Southard (Allen County Public Library)
  • Herb Hernandez  (Greater Fort Wayne Hispanic Chamber of Commerce)   
  • Jan Diaz (Indiana Wesleyan University)
  • JJ Foster  (Fort Wayne Housing Authority)
  • John Dortch (Fort Wayne Black Chamber) 
  • John Guingrich (The League) 
  • John Peirce (Peirce Consulting)                       
  • Josette Rider (Big Brothers Big Sisters)            
  • Joshua Gale (Just Neighbors)                         
  • Juanita Goodwell (Indiana Youth Institute)             
  • Judge Charles Pratt (Allen County Superior Court/Family Division)               
  • Linda Dunno (AARP IN)                                     
  • Marc Levy (Questa Education Foundation)    
  • Dr. Max Montesino (Hispanic Coalition of NE IN)
  • Minn Myint Nan Tin (Burmese Business Representative)
  • Ana Giusti  (Hispanic Coalition of NE IN)
  • Meg Distler (St. Joe Community Health Foundation)
  • Patti Hays (AWS Foundation)              
  • Raquel Aragon Kline (Language Services Network)
  • Renatta Williams (Health Visions of Fort Wayne) 
  • Soe Min Oo (Burmese Muslim Education Center)                
  • Steve Corona (Latinos Count)       
  • Steve Hoffman (Brightpoint)
  • Andrew Applegate (Brightpoint)
  • Tiffany Bailey (United Way of Allen County)
  • Ruthie Hall (United Way of Allen County)
  • Wallace Butts (Lead Pastor, Love Church Ministries)                                                                                      
  • Ye Win Latt (Burmese Muslim Community)