Image Credit: Unsplash
Most students may not have heard of Washington’s Postsecondary Basic Needs Act. Enacted in 2023, the act requires that all public universities aid students for services such as food, shelter and child-care. UW Bothell has risen to meet the requirements of the state’s legislation as the campus has several different programs to address students in need of its support.
The Basic Needs Program is designed to make sure students aren’t disrupted in their academic life by offering short-term solutions to issues. According to Daniela Tierra, Bothell’s CARE Team Specialist and Emergency Fund Manager, recent data from this year shows that UW Bothell’s Basic Needs has served 403 students with acquiring grocery cards, campus meal cards and emergency funds. The goal, per the Basic Needs Program, is to ensure all students feel supported in their holistic wellbeing and excel throughout their college careers.
Students of UW Bothell might be familiar with the campus’ food pantry, which offers shelf-stable foods for those facing food insecurity. In an extensive discussion, Tierra pointed out that the Husky Food Pantry is the most used service and is currently looking to expand to refrigerated and freezer foods with development occurring at Cascadia College’s Kodiak Cave food assistance.
UW Bothell’s Childcare is the smallest of these assistance programs in terms of total students using it but also one of the most consistently used. Tierra says, “Childcare doesn’t tend to be common to most Washington campuses.” The service offers $1500 per quarter provided to those seeking assistance along with necessary documentation.
There are restrictions, however, as students looking to use childcare must be a parent of a child who is 12 years old or younger. The Childcare Program doesn’t provide assistance in the summer, whereas other Basic Needs are kept open year-round. Tierra described how they’ve had to direct students over to off-campus resources to cover the remaining costs of the program.
Tierra also stated that the campus’s Basic Needs Program offers assistance for housing but has difficulty addressing shelter for students facing homelessness. However, they do refer those seeking off-campus resources, as their goal remains consistent in making sure students can stay on campus without any disruptions.
Those that run the various groups that encompass the Basic Needs Program are also varied in terms of their professions and experiences. Numerous graduate students work as interns to meet their graduate requirements while others are employed during the full school year to keep the services running.
It would be remiss not to mention that all students regardless of socioeconomic status can and should utilize the services provided by the Basic Needs Program, as these services are put in place for the benefit of every student.
Students are encouraged to use the available resources provided by the campus and reach out to the staff in the Basic Needs program for any questions or support. Students can book an appointment through Navigate to discuss or email basicneeds@uw.edu for questions.
For more information, please contact:
Basic Needs Resource Navigator
basicneeds@uw.edu
Daniela Tierra, CARE Team Specialist and Emergency Fund Manager,
dtierra@uw.edu, (425) 352-5438
Cindy Gonzalez, Assistant Director Basic Needs & Food Pantry,
arrioc@uw.edu, (425) 352-3150
Leave a Reply