Building Capacity for College Basic Needs Support
Kasey Hariman, Campus Compact AmeriCorps Member serving at National Louis University; Chicago, Illinois
Addressing College Student Hunger on Campus
The first food pantry at a college or university opened about 28 years
ago, at Michigan State University.1 In 2012, Michigan State partnered
with Oregon State University to form the College and University Food
Bank Alliance (CUFBA), a professional organization that provides
support to campus-based programs that address food insecurity
among college students.2 CUFBA connects a network of approximately
700 campus food pantries nationwide,3 but other organizations, like
Students Against Hunger and Challah For Hunger, also provide
resources to those looking to start food pantries or campaigns against
campus hunger.
In 2017, CUFBA partnered with Temple University’s Hope Center for
College, Community, and Justice in 2017,4 a research team that focuses
on documenting and addressing the food, housing, and other basic
needs challenges that many college students are facing.
Beyond Food Pantries: Holistic Basic Needs Support Services
Although college food pantries successfully improve retention and
graduation rates among students at risk of dropping out due to basic
needs insecurities5, many institutions have found that focusing on food
insecurity alone does not adequately address the challenges that
students are facing. In response, colleges and universities are
beginning to implement holistic models of basic needs support,
explicitly acknowledging that students with food insecurity typically
face other challenges and may require more comprehensive support to
make it to graduation. Institutions seem to be enabling access to some
or all of these services through a combination of established on-site
facilities, community partnerships, and external referrals.
1. Callaghan, C. C. (2018, February 16). College Food Pantries Keep Students from Choosing Between Food and Books. https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-blog/choosing-between-books-or 2, 3, 4. College and University Food Bank Alliance (CUFBA). (n.d.). About Us. https://Cufba.Org/about-Us/. 5. Cady, C. L. C. (2014). Food Insecurity as a Student Issue. Journal of College & Character, 15(4). https://hope4college.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Food-Insecurity-as-a-Student-Issue.pdf
National Louis University in Context VISTA and Capacity Building at National Louis University Food Pantry Processes
National Louis University is a private, non-profit university founded as National Louis is particularly well-positioned culturally to work with a The VISTA has worked to identify and streamline reporting and
a teacher’s college in 1886. It is headquartered in downtown Chicago VISTA, since in 2020 the NLU strategic plan features basic needs communication processes for the food pantry, creating tracking sheets
and has three other campuses; two in Lisle and Wheeling, Illinois, and support as one of five pillars of the university’s support strategy for the and sign-in sheets that allow staff and students to easily provide data
one additional in Tampa, Florida. NLU serves a student body of about next 10 years. Bringing in a VISTA allows NLU to focus on the and regularly distributing SNAP recruitment materials. Additionally,
9,000 undergraduates and graduate students, and includes traditional foundations of its basic needs support structures without relying on the VISTA created a donor management database and process for
graduate and undergraduate programs, as well as a culinary school and staff who are providing direct support to students. managing donations and identified a low-cost wholesaler that
the PACE program for college students with developmental disabilities. delivered directly, lowering costs without compromising COVID safety.
NLU is recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Resource Referrals and Education
Anti-Poverty Impact
Coordinating with staff across National Louis, the VISTA compiled a
resource guide that combines campus resources available to NLU
students with community resources for students living in Chicago and
the suburbs, Tampa, Florida, and rural Indiana and Michigan. The guide
includes emergency funding information, free clinics, utility bill
assistance, child care assistance, and others.
The VISTA also co-led two Pizza & Perspectives info sessions with
NLU’s Director of Counseling and Wellness, Cindy Danzell, (one on
loneliness during the pandemic, another on Covid-19 vaccinations) as Challenges
well as co-created and co-led two Thrive Ambassador training sessions
for faculty, staff, and student leaders to support students in crisis and The single biggest challenge facing the Thrive Center is stocking the
be advocates and ambassadors for basic needs resources at NLU. food pantry without a food bank partner; Chicago’s only food bank was
closed to new partnerships due to COVID-19 demands when the pantry
Fundraising and Resource Drives opened, but it was never expected that we would subsist on single-item
donations well past launch. Hygiene items, which can be expensive,
NLU is also home to a specialized bachelor’s degree program designed The VISTA was charged with creating a turnkey drive kit to be used in leave the pantry extremely quickly.
to serve underserved students. It admits students with a 2.0 GPA or fundraising efforts both at NLU and similar institutions. Marketing
higher, offers reduced tuition, and provides a “success coach” for each materials have been created for both our April Hygiene Products Drive
individual student to help them navigate higher education and pursue and our May Baby Products Drive; the materials and strategies that are
the socioeconomic benefits a college degree provides. successful will eventually be compiled into the turnkey drive kit.
Beginning Basic Needs Support at National Louis University
National Louis opened its primary food pantry, located in downtown
Chicago, in the fall of 2020, with a satellite location on the Wheeling
campus opening soon after. The university previously provided basic
needs support through a “need-to-know” framework; both a smaller
“food closet” and limited emergency funds for students’ crises were
available, but they were not advertised and were distributed only when
staff were made aware that a student was in need.
Free counseling for undergraduate students began in 2017, and the
NLU Veterans’ and Military Program began offering financial, legal,
wellness, and other support services to veterans in 2012.
Community Partnership Strategies Sustainability Practices
Current Student Basic Needs Support at National Louis University
The VISTA has pursued a community partnership strategy focused on Sustainability practices have been primarily focused on documenting
Right now NLU provides basic needs support through a combination of identifying other nonprofits receiving a surplus of goods that are less and compiling processes as they are created, but additional efforts have
campus-based services, community partnerships, and referrals to useful to those they serve. National Louis students using the food been taken to train staff throughout the NLU Student Affairs
external organizations. These include: pantry are more likely to have access to kitchens than individuals living department on basic food pantry processes and to include permanent
in SROs (single-room occupancy housing) or shelters; this has meant staff in partnership development meetings to formalize relationships.
• Free mental health counseling and free telehealth medical care that we’re able to accept items like 5-pound bags of frozen raw chicken
• NLU Food Pantries; also offering hygiene items and baby supplies fajita meat that take up freezer space at other pantries, and the pantry Recommendations for Future VISTAs
• Emergency funding via the CARES Act and a partnership with the is able to accept mixed fresh/frozen boxes that they couldn’t previously
organization All Chicago; grocery gift cards also available store. Future VISTAs are likely to benefit from a focus on relationship-
• SNAP enrollment assistance via a partnership with mRelief building, both within the university and with community partners.
• Legal aid info sessions with external organizations Other partnerships in process involve leveraging student labor in Finding and developing steady reciprocal relationships with external
• A referral directory of external community resources and assistance exchange for fresh produce or fundraising/management training that partners that leverage NLU’s assets is likely going to be key
finding and connecting with appropriate organizations students can bring back to NLU’s Thrive programs and services. to sustaining the university’s basic needs support services.