The National Coalition for Burned Churches and Community and Empowerment was formed in 1997 in response to the church-burning crisis of 1996, when churches all over the South were destroyed by arsonists. Now this group of allies based in Georgia but spread all over the South is coming together for another cause: an accurate count in the 2010 Census.
In keeping with their mission and targeting historically underrepresented populations in communities affected by arson, the organization has many obstacles to overcome. They have found that there is very little interaction between these faith communities and government, making community members reluctant to participate and provide any information in the census. Even recovery aid is often not enough incentive in overcoming these inhibitions.
Being accurately counted and represented in the 2010 Census can mean fair political representation, strengthening a community voice that has historically gone unheard.
With a membership of more than 250 individuals and 15,000 parishioners, the National Coalition for Burned Churches plans to use their extensive network to reach as many people as possible in raising awareness of the 2010 Census. Building trusting relationships between groups affiliated with the census and faith communities is the best way to combat skepticism and encourage participation. The group will work with church leaders to ensure that every member of every congregation is counted, building a network of individuals that can be used for years to come after this census.