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We all face unanticipated challenges during our lives. Sometimes these challenges for students include fundamental issues of food insecurity, housing and other financial concerns. UNH has multiple resources that can help. Your support to any of the funds below makes a significant difference for current students and allows them to focus on their education instead of their basic needs.
Student Emergency Assistance Fund: Provides short-term financial assistance to UNH undergraduate and graduate students unable to meet essential expenses due to temporary or unexpected hardships.
Swipe it Forward: Offers meal swipes in the dining halls or as a Meal to Go to undergraduate and graduate students who are challenged by food insecurity.
Cats’ Cupboard: Helps alleviate food insecurity for UNH community members in need by providing supplemental, direct access to free, nourishing food. Current undergraduate or graduate students and employees at the University of New Hampshire can take advantage of this critical resource.
The Inn Between Housing Fund: Provides emergency support for undergraduate and graduate students experiencing housing loss.
The Loaner Laptop program: Assists undergraduate and graduate students who do not have the financial means to access or replace the technical resources required to learn and study.
Last year, Basic Needs programs provided critical support to 513 students, distributing:
✅ 2,645 meal swipes through Swipe it Forward
✅ 14,777 pounds of food through Cats’ Cupboard Emergency
✅ Financial assistance through the Student Emergency Fund and Inn-Between Funds
Read more below to learn what students are saying about Student Basic Needs!
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All donors who make an online gift on the last day of the challenge, Friday, April 11 (starting at 12:00:01 a.m. ET) will receive an equal portion of $50,000 added to their gift. Only donors who have not already given to this year’s challenge qualify. The bonus amount tacked on to your gift will be dependent on the number of donors that qualify and will be calculated after the challenge is over. Whether you make one or multiple gift transactions and/or give to multiple areas, your bonus amount will be split accordingly.
The first 1,500 donors who give online on Thursday, April 10, and haven't already made a gift to this year's challenge, in a total amount containing the numerals 6, 0, and 3 will receive a $50 bonus added to their gift designation(s).
42 days ago by Hannah Harding
“Just knowing this program exists has eased my financial anxiety. Winter coat helps me get warm clothes and supplies. Cat's Cupboard helps me reduce expenses on food. Swipe it Forward REALLY HELPS a lot!! Because I don't have much time to cook as a graduate student, but Swipe it Forward helps me save time on cooking, allowing me to spend more time on research!!”
“The basic needs program helps every student have a chance at success. Education was my way out of an emotionally and financially unfit home. Education has given me the independence and job opportunities I need to avoid repeating the cycle. With an education and the support system provided by UNH, low-income students don't have to rely on unsafe homes or relationships for housing or financial support.”
"This summer, I was homeless... and I was faced with the possibility of not being able to continue my education because of the circumstances. The Basic Needs Support helped my family and me get relief from the stress off their shoulders."
“I began struggling my sophomore year at UNH as I support myself through college and was struggling to choose between eating and paying tuition. The Student Emergency Financial Assistance helped me stabilize my situation and with Patty’s guidance, I was able to find other community resources like Waysmeet. I always felt supported and respected during the process. Basic Needs is for anyone who needs it, there is no measurement for struggling too little or too much.”
“From my experience, working and doing school was really challenging at times, because in order to afford a place to live, I had to work. And in order to do well in school, I had to focus on school. And I couldn’t do both”
43 days ago by Hannah Harding