Accessing Basic Needs at Your School

Accessing Basic Needs at Your School 

Basic needs (housing, food, clothing, water, safety, healthcare, connection …) are essential to our mental health and well-being. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), notes, “Physical and mental well-being starts with access to fresh air and water, nutritious food, and a stable home” (Health.gov, n.d.). Moreover, there is a direct link between insecurity around basic needs and a detrimental impact on mental health and well-being.

For this reason, Orange County college and university students have an often overlooked point-of-access for these resources: basic needs services on campus.

Many of the colleges and universities here in Orange County have programming that can help with temporary and transitional shelter, casual and more formal (think, interview-appropriate) clothing, food, diapers, and clean water, along with referrals to community partners who provide other basic needs-related services.

“Okay, great … Where do I start?”

In all likelihood, there are many points of access to these programs on your campus, but a great place to start is your campus health center. Moreover, the campus health center can be a hub of access for your healthcare, including physical, mental, and relational health. Campus administration and your academic counselors will also likely be able to point you in the right direction.

Even if you are not sure you need these services now, it’s good to know where they are located and how to access them on your campus, whether for you or for a friend; stop by campus administration, your academic counselor, or your campus health center and ask about what’s available and how to find out more. 

---

Orange County College and University Basic Needs Resources

• UC Irvine Basic Needs Center: https://basicneeds.uci.edu/

• Cal State Fullerton Basic Needs Services: https://www.fullerton.edu/basic-needs/

• Santa Ana College Thrive Center: https://sac.edu/StudentServices/thrivecenter/Pages/default.aspx

• Orange Coast College Pirates' Cove Student Basic Needs Center: https://orangecoastcollege.edu/services-support/student-equity/occ-cares/

• Saddleback College C.A.R.E. (Community Allocated Resources for Everyone) Corner: https://www.saddleback.edu/student-support/care-corner

• Golden West College Student Basic Needs Hub: https://www.goldenwestcollege.edu/basic-needs/index.html

• Cypress College Basic Needs and Food Pantry: https://www.cypresscollege.edu/student-life/student-activities/food-bank/

• Irvine Valley College Basic Needs: https://www.ivc.edu/basic-needs

• Fullerton College Basic Needs: https://vpss.fullcoll.edu/basic-needs/

• Santiago Canyon College Hawk's Nest: Basic Needs Center: https://sccollege.edu/students/studentservices/hawksnestbasicneedscenter/SitePages/Home.aspx

• Chapman University Student Affairs: https://www.chapman.edu/students/services/index.aspx

• Concordia University Helping Hands Wellness Center: https://www.cui.edu/studentlife/wellness-center/helping-hands

• Vanguard University Living Well Community Resource Center: https://www.vanguard.edu/living-well-community-resource-center-archived

---------------

Basic Needs for Health and Safety | health.gov. (n.d.). Health.gov. https://health.gov/our-work/national-health-initiatives/equitable-long-term-recovery-and-resilience/framework/basic-needs-health-and-safety#:~:text=Physical%20and%20mental%20well%2Dbeing

---------------