The University of Mississippi stands ready to support students who are facing basic needs insecurity.

Grove Grocery serves as the University’s food pantry and provides free food and hygiene items. Read more about Grove Grocery’s services here.

Lyceum Locker is the University’s school supply closet and provides a large variety of free school supplies.

The Emergency Housing Program supports students who are facing housing insecurity or homelessness.

In addition to University resources, some students may be eligible for SNAP benefits. SNAP provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget for students in need so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency. Students can learn more about eligibility requirements here and can access the application here.

 

Basic Needs Matter

Each year The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice conducts a national survey to gather data on students’ basic needs. The Hope Center defines basic needs as “access to nutritious and sufficient food; safe, secure, and adequate housing—to sleep, to study, to cook, and to shower; healthcare to promote sustained mental and physical well-being; affordable technology and transportation; resources for personal hygiene; and childcare and related needs.”

The Hope Center goes on to provide the following information about basic needs insecurity:

Food insecurity is the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food, or the ability to acquire such food in a socially acceptable manner. The most extreme form is often accompanied by physiological sensations of hunger.

Housing insecurity encompasses a broad set of challenges that prevent someone from having a safe, affordable, and consistent place to live.

Homelessness means that a person does not have a fixed, regular, and adequate place to live. Students facing homelessness may be living with a friend, couch surfing, sleeping in campus buildings, etc.

According to The Hope Center’s 2021 #RealCollege Survey report, 3 in 5 students experienced basic needs insecurity. The survey indicated that 29% of students experienced food insecurity, 48% experienced housing insecurity, and 14% experienced homelessness.

Source: The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice. (2021). #RealCollege 2021: Basic Needs Insecurity During the Ongoing Pandemic. Philadelphia, PA.