CalFresh Application Assistance
CalFresh is a federal nutrition assistance program that helps people purchase healthy foods at most grocery stores and farmer's markets. Students can receive anywhere up to $281 per month to purchase groceries. The Basic Needs Center offers 1-1 CalFresh application assistance appointments in-person or via Zoom.
Zot Bites
Text notification system that invites students as after-event guest to receive excess food once a catering event is over. Food Partners (those who push out texts) must be UCI faculty/staff, any enrolled UCI student can opt in to receive text messages.
Life Skills Workshops
FRESH offers a wide variety of life skill-building workshops to provide sustainable solutions and resources for basic needs insecurity alleviation. Our unique workshops prepare students with the tools to become a basic needs advocate for themselves and our communities.
FRESH Pantry
The FRESH Pantry housed at the Basic Needs Center provides emergency food and toiletries to UCI students experiencing basic needs insecurities. Students can access our pantry once per week using their UCI Student ID card or by providing their student ID number at the check-in station. All information is kept confidential. Item maximums are regulated through our one basket per student policy.
Emergency Meal Swipes
Emergency Meal Swipes help students who are experiencing food insecurity and/or a student-related emergency, access healthy and well-balanced meals offered at UCI Dining Commons.
Food Assistance Program
Eligible students get invited to participate in the FRESH Basic Needs Hub Food Assistance Program (FAP) for the entire academic year. The program awards eligible students a grant award in the amount of $582 per quarter, known as the FAP Award. The goal of this program is to support food security among domestic students who do not have access to federal benefits such as CalFresh/SNAP or Federal loans.
Grocery Card Support
A one-time electronic grocery card to support students who are not able to physically access the resources at the FRESH Pantry at the Basic Needs Center.
Halal Meat Support
This additional pantry resource is meant to support Muslim students who adhere to a strict halal diet.
Students who qualify receive a small allocation of halal protein on a monthly basis.
Economic Crisis Response Grant
The Economic Crisis Response Grant is a case-specific, university intervention to be utilized to address a student's financial crisis. Students must meet all eligibilities and can request up to $2000.
Campus Social Worker Consultations
Confidential in-person or Zoom appointments with our clinical social worker to provide support and guidance to students experiencing financial stress and/or food/housing insecurity.
Short-Term Transportation Support
Short-term transportation support for students who face financial barriers and need access to basic needs resources. Emergency Lyft passes in $25 dollar increments will be issued to student applicants based on their specific needs and needs assessment.
Basic Needs Sponsored Housing
Up to 30-days of temporary housing at UCI is provided to students who are currently facing homelessness per the McKinney-Vento definition.
Diaper Bank
The Diaper Bank helps student parents with a monthly supply of diapers or training pants (pull-ups). As a result of the Basic Needs Center's partnership with the OC Diaper Bank Program via Community Action Partnership of Orange County (CAPOC), student parents can receive 75 diapers or 75 pull-ups per month. Sizes range from Newborn (size 0) diapers to Pull-Ups XL (4T-5T).