Conversations about the importance of respecting human dignity often are centered around individual worth and the intrinsic value we each have as contributors, in ways small and large, to the world around us.

The ways to make contributions are as diverse and unique as the people who each play a part in uplifting the community.

Perhaps the professional work you do helps improve society. You may make a difference through involvement at a house of worship, through charitable efforts and volunteerism or by paying it forward whenever you can. Or maybe you’re just a positive person who always has a ready smile, a friendly greeting for strangers and neighbors alike, and a kind word for human brothers and sisters who you sense are struggling with a burden.

However you give back, take heart in knowing those acts matter, even when you think they go unrecognized.

Less than two months from now, there’s another important way you can help make a lasting, positive difference for countless fellow Virginians. And it doesn’t cost a thing and should take less than 15 minutes of your time.

Here’s how to help: Have yourself — and your household — counted in the 2020 U.S. Census that officially begins on April 1. It’s that simple to help your community.

For the first time, this year you can even complete the census form online.

Participating in the 2020 Census is vitally important to communities across the Commonwealth and the nation. This is particularly true for communities of color because the 2020 Census plays a central role in the allocation of billions of dollars in federal funding for programs that help folks we know. Some $675 billion in annual federal funding is disbursed based on census data. This funding supports essential health care, housing and education programs, to name a few. Virginia’s share of that is considerable: In 2016, the Commonwealth received nearly $18 billion in funding based on census data.

That money helps provide health care for children, expectant mothers and disabled people. It supports adoption services and grants that help young people attend college or receive career technical training. Funds based on the 2020 Census also help pay to plan highway construction projects, support public transportation service and fund community development block grants for urban renewal programs.

Participating in the 2020 Census is free. Strong public participation helps ensure that Virginia receives its fair share of federal funding.

There is a cost for non-participation, though, and it’s one that impacts us all, not just people who aren’t counted. That’s because each uncounted person deprives Virginia of $2,000 in annual funding, or $20,000 over 10 years.

The issue of undercounting is a challenge. An analysis by the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service identified 33,555 missing or incorrect addresses in Virginia, which means thousands of Virginians could be overlooked in the upcoming 2020 Census count. If even a tiny fraction of those Virginia households go uncounted, the Commonwealth could lose millions in funding for essential public programs.

In addition to determining how public money is divvied up, the census count also plays a significant role in community political power and representation. The census determines how many seats Virginia will have in the U.S. House of Representa- tives for the next decade, and the population count is also the basis for how the 140 district seats in the Virginia General Assembly are drawn and how closely they might reflect community demographics. Having a diverse government that represents the distinctive needs of communi- ties across Virginia can directly impacts people’s lives and the places they live.

Learn more at www.census.gov and remind everyone you know to get counted. It truly matters.

The writer is theRegion1 Vice President of the Virginia State Conference NAACP, the president of Celebrate Healthcare and a longtime community advocate who was appointed to Gov. Ralph S. Northam’s Complete Count Commission.