About Basic Needs at UNH

“获得生存和福祉所需的资源是一项基本人权."
Dr. Kenneth Holmes, Senior Vice Provost for Student Life at UNH

The Basic Needs program seeks to support students through prevention, intervention and emergency relief efforts. We acknowledge that the lack of basic needs is a systemic issue, not an individual one. Basic needs insecurity can stem from a variety of underlying factors, including income inequality, rising living expenses, and other issues. It is often not a result of personal choices or actions. 我们知道满足你的基本需求是多么重要，这样你就可以专注于你的教育和其他生活目标. 

In 2023, 国家高等教育学生援助研究(2020年NPSAS)首次发布了影响全国大学生的粮食不安全和无家可归问题的全国代表性估计. In Spring 2020, for the first time, 该研究向学生提问，评估他们在食品安全和无家可归方面的经历. The sample includes students enrolled at any time between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020, at higher education institutions participating in federal financial aid programs. In total, 80,760 undergraduates completed surveys, a sample representing about 17.1 million undergraduates. In addition, 19,700 graduate students (representing 3.6 million) completed surveys.

As long suspected, 大学生的失业率高于普通大众，影响到所有类型的学院和大学，并跨越了学生的人口统计，甚至是传统的收入和经济需求衡量标准. They found, 

• 23% of undergraduates and 12% of graduate students experienced food insecurity
• 8% of undergraduates and 5% of graduate students experienced homelessness
• Basic Needs insecurity affects 35% of Black/African American Students, 30% of Native American students and 25% of Hispanic students
• Those at highest risk of basic needs insecurity include LGBTQ+ and Indigenous students.

Source: 美国高等教育中的粮食不安全和无家可归:新的全国代表性估计概述(2023年)

Definitions: 

Food Insecurity: 粮食不安全是指营养充足或安全的食物供应有限或不确定, as well as a person's ability to obtain these foods in a socially acceptable way. Food insecurity is a systemic issue that can happen to anyone, not a personal failure. According to Feeding America's Elevating Voices Report, people facing hunger struggle with high living costs, expensive housing, unemployment, and low-wage jobs. 即使是有稳定收入和负担得起的住房的人也会经历暂时的挫折，导致粮食不安全, including job loss, medical emergency, natural disaster or family crisis.

Houseless or Unhoused: a person who lacks a consistent and safe nighttime residence. This can include couch surfing, staying temporarily with friends or family, 在学校休息期间没有一个稳定和安全的地方去的大学生, someone who stays in many different places, as well as staying in a homeless shelter, car, or sleeping outside. Visit this link to learn the difference between Homeless, Houseless or Unhoused

Housing Insecurity: 住房不安全包括与学生居住地相关的更广泛的挑战. These can include being unable to pay rent or utilities on time, occupying a residence with others beyond its official capacity, and moving three or more times in a given year. 在面临住房不安全的大学生中，最常见的挑战是能够支付全部租金, bills, and/or mortgage. Experiencing “housing instability” means having a place to live, but facing instability, uncertainty or unsuitability in one’s living conditions.

Person First Language : When referring to people who are without shelter, person-first language is important. For this issue, 他们将被描述为“无家可归的人”，而不是“无家可归的人”.“这样做是为了提醒他们，他们的状况并不能定义他们，他们首先是一个人.  必须强调的是，对于那些无家可归或没有住所的人来说，他们有各种各样的经历. 而一般公众可能认为无家可归者主要是露宿街头或在营地内的人, there are also hidden components of houselessness. 这包括那些暂时与朋友或家人“沙发冲浪”的人，或者住在他们车里的无家可归的人. 没有住所的生活通常不是一种选择，这种经历是非常具有挑战性的. 

Learn more about student houselessness and food insecurity