FRESH Services

Section 1

How are you doing in meeting your basic needs? Find out by taking the FRESH Intake Survey!

FRESH offers a variety of services to UC Irvine students to help them meet their basic needs. From food pantry visits, CalFresh Application Assistance, to consultations with our social workers, we strive to offer support from a holistic approach.

Basic Needs Sponsored Housing

In collaboration with UCI Housing and the Office of Campus Social Work, FRESH provides up to 30-days of temporary housing with a meal plan via on-campus housing to students who are currently facing homelessness per the McKinney-Vento definition.

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CalFresh Application Assistance

CalFresh is a federal nutrition assistance program that helps people purchase healthy foods at most grocery stores and farmers markets. Students can receive up to $281 per month. FRESH offers 1-1 CalFresh application assistance appointments both in-person and via Zoom.

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Campus Social Worker Consultations

Confidential in-person or Zoom appointments with our on-campus clinical social worker to provide support and guidance to students experiencing financial stress and/or food/housing insecurity. All students are eligible.

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Diaper Bank

The Diaper Bank helps parenting students with a monthly supply of diapers or training pants (pull-ups). As a result of FRESH's partnership with the OC Diaper Bank Program via Community Action Partnership of Orange County (CAPOC), parenting students can receive 75 diapers or pull-ups per month (for each size that they're requesting). Sizes range from Newborn (size 0) diapers to Pull-Ups XL (4T-5T).

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Economic Crisis Response Grant

A case-specific, university intervention to be utilized to address a student's financial crisis. A student under consideration for the Economic Crisis Response (ECR) grant must meet all eligibilities.

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Emergency Meal Swipes

Emergency Meal Swipes help students who are experiencing food insecurity and/or a student-related emergency, access healthy and well-balanced meals offered at UCI Dining Commons.

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Financial Wellness Consultations

Confidential peer-to-peer, financial wellness consultations that provide students with resources & education to achieve their financial goals in a college environment.

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Grocery Card Support

A one-time electronic grocery card to support students who are not able to physically access the resources at the UCI Food Pantry at the FRESH Basic Needs Hub.

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Life Skills Workshops

FRESH offers a wide variety of life skill-building workshops to provide sustainable solutions and resources for basic needs insecurity alleviation. Our unique workshops prepare students with the tools to become a basic needs advocate for themselves and our communities. Learn More

Short-Term Transportation Support

Short-term transportation support for students with financial barriers and need access to basic needs resources. Provides emergency Lyft passes in $25 dollar increments to eligible students.

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UCI Food Pantry

The UCI Food Pantry housed at FRESH provides emergency food and toiletries to UCI students experiencing basic needs insecurities. Students can access once per week using their UCI Student ID card or by providing their student ID number at the check-in station.

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Zot Bites

Text notification platform that invites students as after-event guests to receive excess food once a catering event is over. Food Partners (those who push out texts) must be UCI faculty/staff, any enrolled UCI student can opt-in to receive text message notifications.

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