Basic Needs Services

Basic Needs provides services to support students experiencing food insecurity, displacement, an emergency, crisis and/or health-related or medical expenses. Please review our services and submit a basic needs referral to connect with someone on our team!   

Food Assistance

The Basic Needs program provides food assistance to students with limited resources:

  • Meal swipes for commuter students struggling to eat regular, healthy meals
  • CalFresh Food - Monthly Grocery Assistance
  • CalFresh Healthy Living - Learn to cook and prepare your own food
  • Supplemental Grocery Scholarship- Students who meet all CalFresh eligibility criteria and are not eligible to apply to FAFSA or other federally funded programs.  

Housing Assistance

The Basic Needs program offers support for students who lose their housing or are at risk of losing housing:

  • Short-term emergency housing, up to 21 days support.
  • Eviction avoidance grants for students who received a 3-day notice or eviction notice.
  • Rapid- rehousing support for sudden loss or unsafe housing; students will work with CSULB funded community partners to locate new housing and receive assistance with lease process and deposit.
  • Deposit and first month rent grants are available for students who are experiencing homelessness and have located housing. Documentation from landlord of move-in costs are required.

Financial Literacy and Emergency Grants

School costs can add up! Let us help you with financial wellness and provide emergency fund assistance in a crisis:

  • FREE lifelong access to our Financial Literacy 101 platform to learn about budgeting, spending and saving!
  • Emergency grants for sudden, unexpected expenses that are not included in financial aid support. Examples: Hospitalization or unexpected medical bills, emergency dental or medical procedures, sudden loss of childcare or childcare funds, sudden loss of transportation to job, campus or internship. Based on documentation of need.

Eligibility for Basic Needs Crisis Services

  • Be a currently enrolled CSULB Student in at least 3 units
  • Be able to demonstrate an unexpected food, housing or financial crisis affecting academic performance or enrollment (Supporting documentation is helpful where appropriate)

Examples of qualifying emergencies:

  • Displacement: Living in your car; Temporarily staying with friends or family; Living on the street
  • Medical expense due to hospitalization or severe illness with no financial means to pay
  • Car repairs/loss of transportation to a job, school or internship with no financial means to pay

Unforeseen emergency and/or circumstance that directly affects your academic performance or causing you to consider withdrawing from one or more courses