From federal funding to political representation, census information is crucial. Workers collect data every 10 years and they’re now out on metro streets. However, those canvassing neighborhoods are meeting with skepticism.

This is the first census taken since 9/11. Security concerns and identity theft have risen. We’re more protective of our information than ever at a time when strangers are knocking on our doors to collect it.

The Cappen family of Weeping Water recently received such a visit. "We weren't real sure who it was,” says Jamie Cappen. “But then she explained herself and told us what she was doing."

The visitor was Mindi Hellbusch, one of 12 address canvassers or enumerators covering Cass and northern Otoe counties. She’s part of a crew of 600 who have been working in the state of Nebraska since mid-March.

“Most people are very eager to talk,” she says. However, the job isn’t always easy. "Oh, I've heard TVs on and everything. Yeah, people talking and trying to be quiet inside and that's fine if they don't want to answer. That's not a problem. There's just been a couple (residents) with resistance. You know, not sure what we're out doing."

She says her sole purpose is to verify addresses, a quick process. "As long as their address is posted on their house, we just need to know if there's any additional places in the building where people live or could live."

Joe Heneger of Weeping Water hasn’t heard from Hellbusch yet, the only canvasser for the 1,000-plus residences in the town. He doesn’t know Hellbusch and says he’d be leery of volunteering any information to a someone he does not recognize. "I probably would not give it to her."

Hellbusch doesn’t blame him. "All Census Bureau employees should have this identification badge,” she says, shows a badge with a logo, her name handwritten on the front. It accompanies an emergency contact card.

She also hands out a piece of paper explaining the confidentiality of census information. It reads in part, “All U.S. Census Bureau employees have taken an oath and are subject to a jail term, a fine or both if they disclose any information that could identify you and your household.”

Information is not shared with any agency outside of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Address canvassers won't get personal. A mail survey later will ask for more details like household size. "They use the information to determine how much money a county gets for federal purposes and the amount of seats on the Legislature for the House of Representatives," says Hellbusch.

Those who fail to answer the mail survey will receive a visit by another Census Bureau employee this fall. Cappen says she was happy to comply. "Yeah, I figure they need it for something."

Now that Heneger is in the know, he says he will as well. "Everybody seems to know everybody in the smaller towns and I think everybody looks out for everybody."

Now he'll be looking out for Hellbusch, whose address verification duties along with other census workers, will wrap up May 20th.