Essential Needs Program

The SMC Essential Needs Program’s mission is to improve students’ overall experience at SMC by sharing information and resources in order to anticipate essential needs-related insecurities and intervene before an SMC student experiences crisis.

The U.S. Education Department’s 2023 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) largely confirms that college students face higher rates of food and housing insecurity than the general population. Data shows that roughly 22.6% of undergraduates and 12.2% of graduate students experience food insecurity, while 8% of undergraduates and 4.6% of graduate students experience homelessness.

Essential needs refer to crucial resources required for a student’s holistic success. Core essential needs include safety, financial health, access to food and housing, and overall holistic wellbeing (physical, psychological, and spiritual). Essential needs are fluid and often extend beyond this core and may include technology, clothing, childcare, transportation, legal services, and more. For students to be able to focus on their individual growth and academic ambitions, it is imperative that their essential needs are consistently met.

With the rising cost of a college education and the skyrocketing cost of living in the Bay Area, students are facing increasing levels of precarity while pursuing a college degree. Your donation will contribute to a student support fund for our SMC students. This will support students’ secure access to food, housing, health care, hygiene products, textbooks, and also being able to pay unexpected medical, housing, and educational expenses.

For more information and resources check out our Essential Needs Program website.