Housing, food, and financial support
Support for your everyday needs
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. We know how important it is for your basic needs to be met so you can focus on your education and other life goals. This page points you to a variety of on- and off-campus resources that are free or low cost. We cannot guarantee any of these resources will be able to provide exactly what you need but we hope it can be helpful. All enrolled students including undergraduate, graduate, international and undocumented students are eligible for Basic Needs resources and services.
If you have questions or need to speak with someone, please contact Patty Mathison, Basic Needs Coordinator and Case Manager at patty.mathison@unh.edu or feel free to stop by the Memorial Union Building room 236. To learn more about the prevalence of basic needs insecurity within college student communities, please use this guide as an additional resource or read through the 2023-2024 Hope Center Basic Needs Report.
Our learning outcome: Students will be able to identify services at UNH intended to address their basic needs.
Share your feedback! We'd love to hear how we are doing and how we may be able to better support our Wildcat community!
Resources available to students
Explore the categories below to find the specific support you need, from food and housing to financial and clothing resources.
Food resources
It's hard to focus when you don't know where your next meal will come from. We've compiled a list of campus and community-based resources to help you find food including our Swipe it Forward program. Please be mindful that this is not an exhaustive list.
Request a workshop or presentation
- We offer in-person and virtual workshops. Note: The group must be all in person or all virtual- we find that it does not work well to have some of the group in person and some virtual.
- Minimum attendance of 10 is required. If you are requesting a presentation for a student organization or residence hall, we ask that you make pre-registration available.
- Requests should be submitted at least two (2) weeks in advance of your preferred date. Due to limited staff resources, we may not be able to accommodate requests that do not have a two week lead time.
- Our staff is available to consult with you on creating an program that aligns with your goals and learning objectives. To ensure we have ample time to collaborate with you and design a program that meets your specific needs, please provide at least 3-4 weeks of advance notice.
Workshop descriptions:
Brief Basic Needs Overview (10–20 minutes)
A short introduction to Basic Needs Programs and the resources available to students.
Dangers of Empathy (60 minutes)
In this presentation, we examine the dangers of empathy and how sometimes the best of intentions can be unintentionally harmful. We will explore volunteerism/donation efforts through the lens of critical service, which puts the community as the experts and allows for community driven response.
Financial Wellness (60 minutes)
In this presentation, we’ll explore the foundations of financial wellness, covering essential topics like budgeting, saving, credit, and debt management. You'll gain a deeper understanding of why financial wellness matters and how it directly affects your long-term financial security.
We’ll also cover:
- Basic money management skills
- How to set and reach your personal financial goals
- The role of credit scores and how they impact your finances
- Common financial pitfalls to watch out for
- Practical tools and resources to support smarter financial decisions
By the end, you'll be equipped with the knowledge and strategies to take control of your finances and build a more secure financial future.
Playspent Activity (45-60 minutes)
This is an interactive presentation utilizing the online game Spent to engage in a conversation around class, financial decision making, and awareness of the challenges so many US citizens are facing.
Tree of Power (75 minutes)
The Tree of Power is an interactive workshop geared towards helping us understand that in order to create lasting change, we need to understand and shift the underlying power structures that support these problems. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify symptoms related to systems of power and the institutions that maintain/perpetuate them
- Articulate the root causes of social issues and understand the concept of intersectionality
Why is it so difficult to ask for help? (45 minutes)
Asking for help—something so simple in theory, yet incredibly hard in practice. In this presentation, we explore the emotional, psychological, and social barriers that make it difficult for people to reach out when they need support. From fear of judgment and vulnerability to cultural expectations and personal pride, we'll uncover the deep-rooted reasons behind our hesitation. Through real-life examples, research insights, and interactive discussion, we'll not only understand why asking for help feels so hard—but also how we can begin to change that mindset, both in ourselves and in the communities we live and work in.
About Basic Needs at UNH
The Basic Needs program seeks to support students through prevention, intervention and emergency relief efforts. We acknowledge that the lack of basic needs is a systemic issue, not an individual one. Basic needs insecurity can stem from a variety of underlying factors, including income inequality, rising living expenses, and other issues. It is often not a result of personal choices or actions. We know how important it is for your basic needs to be met so you can focus on your education and other life goals.
Basic Needs Research & Data
Trellis Student Financial Wellness Survey (2024)
In Fall 2024, UNH participated in the Trellis Student Financial Wellness Survey, receiving 1,226 student responses. The survey was part of a national study that collected responses from more than 54,000 students across 104 colleges and universities in 27 states, examining students' financial well-being, attitudes and experiences.
Link: Read the full Trellis Student Financial Wellness Survey report.
National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS)
The National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) released the first nationally representative estimates of food insecurity and homelessness among college students. During Spring 2020, more than 80,700 undergraduate students (representing 17.1 million students nationwide) and 19,700 graduate students (representing 3.6 million students) completed surveys about their experiences with basic needs insecurity.
The study found that:
- 23% of undergraduate students experienced food insecurity.
- 12% of graduate students experienced food insecurity.
- 8% of undergraduate students experienced homelessness.
- 5% of graduate students experienced homelessness.
- Basic needs insecurity affected 35% of Black/African American students, 30% of Native American students, and 25% of Hispanic students.
- Students at the highest risk of basic needs insecurity included LGBTQ+ and Indigenous students.
These findings show that basic needs insecurity affects students across all types of colleges and universities and is not limited to traditional measures of income or financial need.
Source: Food Insecurity and Homelessness in American Higher Education: An Overview of New Nationally Representative Estimates (2023).
History
"Students at UNH have needs that are both unique to them, and universal in scope: access to basic resources such as nutritious food, reliable shelter and more are on the forefront of the minds of those who interact with students every day — professors who teach classes, RAs and hall directors, dining staff, and more.
In 2019, UNH President James Dean initiated a Basic Needs Initiative Committee made up of dedicated faculty, staff and students to address basic needs concerns at the university. Through assessments, surveys and reports this committee was charged with looking at what UNH is doing, what else we could be doing and what we might need in order to implement or enhance any support.
This committee consolidated existing programs, created new programs and raised funds to support students’ basic needs. They also hired an AmeriCorps VISTA to support the creation of a new food pantry on campus and advocated for the hiring of a full-time staff member to support these important initiatives. The point of contact for basic needs programs became housed within the Dean of Students Office and in 2022, Patty Mathison was hired as the basic needs coordinator..." Read more about the beginnings of address basic needs in the UNH Magazine.
These resources and programs involve coordination of many different departments including Dining and Hospitality Services, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, Enterprise and Technology Services, Campus Services, UNH Housing and Residence Life, Advancement and Alumni Affairs among others. We are so grateful for the support, dedication and hard work put into meeting student basic needs.
Basic Needs Team
Patty Mathison (she/her), Basic Needs Coordinator and Case Manager
I started as the inaugural Basic Needs Coordinator and Case Manager in April 2022 following 9 years serving as the Director for the Social Action and Integrative Learning office at George Mason University in Virginia. I've worked within higher education for most of my career in areas such as community engagement, community partnerships, social justice and leadership development where I created and oversaw scholarship programs, taught many leadership classes, coordinated living learning community programs as well as alternative breaks. Throughout my time in higher education, I always felt drawn to students facing basic needs insecurity and mental health challenges. I obtained my second Masters in Counseling and Development with a focus on Community Agency Counseling from George Mason University. I wanted to be able to do more to support students and was looking for a way to combine my experience within higher education with counseling and student support and this role was the perfect fit.
Throughout my experiences, I have witnessed and been in awe of the resiliency and determination of so many students. Many working, taking care of family and fighting to be able to get an education against significant odds. I have spent my career working to understand the root causes of so many social issues and how these systemic inequalities continue to be perpetuated. As we come out from the COVID pandemic, we are seeing a new wave of need with fewer resources and higher requests for resources. My hope is to connect students to resources while also acknowledging and sharing the challenges students face here at UNH. I believe in the power of community and believe everyone should have access to education.
Basic Needs Initiative Committee Members
Basic Needs Initiative Committee Members
- Patty Mathison (Chair), Basic Needs Coordinator and Case Manager
- Dr. Catherine Moran, Director of Undergraduate Programs, Sociology
- Dr. Michael Blackman, Dean of Students
- Jonathan Constable, Director of COLA Career and Professional Services
- Dr. Jes Crowell, Director of TRIO Scholars
- Gillissen (Gigi) Green, Academic and Cultural Engagement Specialist, Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS)
- Hannah Harding, Assistant Director of Annual Giving
- Liz Hogan, Apartment Manager, UNH Housing
- Crystal Joos, Assistant Director of Student Financial Services
- Dr. Dovev Levine, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Affairs
- Dorrie McClintock, Director of Conferences, Catering and Retail Services
- Candice Morey, Educational Program Coordinator, UNH Manchester Graduate School
- Shuva Paul, Graduate Teaching Assistant, Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS)
- Dr. Dawna Perez, Executive Director of Student Success*
- Dana Pierce, Events Coordinator, UNH Manchester
- Elizabeth Stevens, Director of Student Financial Services
- Meg Marsh, Director of Annual Giving Programs
- Lisa Winters, Compensation Coordinator
Previous Committee Members
- Jocelyne Bisson, UNH Student
- Dr. Kimberly Babbitt, Associate Dean, COLSA*
- Joel Carstens, Associate Director of Financial Aid*
- Megan Cramton, UNH Student
- Megan Davis, Chief of Staff
- Janet Dean, UNH First Lady*
- Liza Degenring, Graduate Student
- Lisa Enright, Assistant Dean of Student Success, UNH Manchester
- Kelsey Gilmore Garlington, Apartment Manager*
- Dr. Joan Glutting, Inaugural Chair (2019–2023)*, Clinical Professor of Psychology
- Chris Josefowitch, Student Senator
- Dr. Kenneth Holmes, Senior Vice Provost for Student Life
- Rochelle L'Italien, Registered Dietitian, UNH Dining*
- Dr. Kenneth LaValley, Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement and Director of UNH Extension
- Dr. David May, Associate Vice President for Business Affairs*
- William (Bill) McNamara, Executive Director of Hospitality Services*
- Dr. David Mortensen, Professor, Agriculture, Nutrition & Food Systems*
- Dr. Shari Robinson, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Life*
- Dr. Karen Spiller, Thomas W. Haas Professor in Sustainable Food Systems*
- Paul Young, AmeriCorps VISTA
Definitions
Definitions:
Food Insecurity: Food insecurity refers to limited or uncertain availability of foods that are nutritionally adequate or safe, as well as a person's ability to obtain these foods in a socially acceptable way. Food insecurity is a systemic issue that can happen to anyone, not a personal failure. According to Feeding America's Elevating Voices Report, people facing hunger struggle with high living costs, expensive housing, unemployment, and low-wage jobs. Even people with a steady income and access to affordable housing can experience a temporary setback that leads to food insecurity, including job loss, medical emergency, natural disaster or family crisis.
Houseless or Unhoused: a person who lacks a consistent and safe nighttime residence. This can include couch surfing, staying temporarily with friends or family, a college student who does not have a consistent and safe place to go during school breaks, someone who stays in many different places, as well as staying in a homeless shelter, car, or sleeping outside. Visit this link to learn the difference between Homeless, Houseless or Unhoused
Housing Insecurity: Housing insecurity encompasses broader challenges related to a student's place of residence. These can include being unable to pay rent or utilities on time, occupying a residence with others beyond its official capacity, and moving three or more times in a given year. The most common challenge among college students facing housing insecurity was being able to afford the full amount of their rent, bills, and/or mortgage. Experiencing “housing instability” means having a place to live, but facing instability, uncertainty or unsuitability in one’s living conditions.
Person First Language : When referring to people who are without shelter, person-first language is important. For this issue, they will be described as a “person experiencing homelessness” instead of a “homeless person.” This is done as a reminder that their condition does not define them and that they are first and foremost a human being. It is important to emphasize that there is a broad range of experiences when it comes to people who are unhoused or without shelter. While the general public might think of houselessness primarily as people sleeping rough on the streets or within an encampment, there are also hidden components of houselessness. This includes those who “couch surf” temporarily with friends or family or the working houseless who live in their vehicles. Living without shelter generally is not a choice, and the experience is incredibly challenging.