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Basic Needs Branch

If you are a student who is struggling in accessing your basic needs, the Student Advocate’s Office can help your case.

    About the Basic Needs Branch

  • The Basic Needs Branch provides guidance and support for students experiencing food, housing, and mental health realted issues within the university. Our services include confidential assistance with accessing food, emergency housing, and renter's rights.  Our casework services include:

    • Referrals to campus food pantries
    • Application assitance for Calfresh
    • Referrals to CAPS, CARE, Athletics and Recreation, and outside resources
    • Housing and Renter’s Assistance
      • Tenant's and Renter's Rights Assistance
      • Housing Application Assistance
      • Housing Search and Safe Rental Assistance
    • Emergency Housing Assistance
    We additionally assist students with communicating and connecting to Slug Support. For more information or to open a case, contact the Student Advocate's Office at suasao@ucsc.edu.

    • Basic Needs Resources

  • UCSC Food Pantries

    For more information on pantries on-campus and their operating hours, visit the UC Santa Cruz Basic Needs: Food Pantries website. On-campus Pantries are listed below: 

    • Slug Support Pantry
    • SUA Food Pantry
    • ERC Snack Pantry
    • Cantu Queer Center Food Pantry

  • Slug Support

    For financial and basic needs assistance, visit the Slug Support website.

  • Calfresh - Food Stamps

    To apply for Calfresh to receive free groceries each month, visit https://www.getcalfresh.org/.

  • Immediate Assistance

    **Please note that Slug Support Managers and SAO Directors and Caseworkers are not available for immediate crises. If you are a student or are working with a student experiencing a mental health crisis, please call our 24 hour crisis line at 831-459-2628. If you are or are working with someone experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call the Police by dialing 911.
Contact Financial Aid Branch

Director of Financial Aid and Basic Needs

Brandon Chew

Email: suasao@ucsc.edu

Office: Student Union Assembly Office, 2nd Floor Redwood Building