Resources for UC Berkeley Students
These organizations offer support and opportunities for enrolled UC Berkeley students, free of charge. They may be easier to access and get help from if you are a student. Go Bears!
Basic Needs Center
Location: Food Pantry is on 1st floor of MLK Student Union, other services are virtual
Contact Information: basicneedscenter@berkeley.edu; foodpantry@berkeley.edu; (510) 463-4170
Website: https://basicneeds.berkeley.edu/
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The Basic Needs Center acts as a central hub to support students in their journey to access essential services that impact health, belonging, and overall well-being. The Basic Needs Center team is committed to fostering belonging and justice on the UC Berkeley campus through a robust model of prevention, intervention and emergency relief efforts addressing holistic needs. They define basic needs as an ecosystem that includes: financial stability; nutritious and sufficient food; safe, secure and adequate housing (to sleep, study, cook and shower); accessible and equitable health/medical care; sustaining emotional/mental well-being; affordable transportation; resources for personal hygiene; and, emergency needs for students with dependents.
RECEIVE:
A few resources that the Basic Needs Center offers are emergency food resources through the campus food pantry (https://basicneeds.berkeley.edu/pantry) which is available for students and staff, assistance in applying for CalFresh benefits for long-term food assistance, emergency housing assistance for currently enrolled UC Berkeley students (https://basicneeds.berkeley.edu/find-support/housing/emergency-housing), and one-on-one basic needs care with a Clinical Care Coordinator (https://basicneeds.berkeley.edu/our-programs/care-coordination).
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DONATE:
In order to continue meeting the basic needs of this community, you can donate by going to https://basicneeds.berkeley.edu/donate and support the UC Berkeley community.
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VOLUNTEER:
This is one of the best ways to get involved at UC Berkeley and a great way to form relationships with this large group of students! To find more information please refer to https://basicneeds.berkeley.edu/about/get-involved to start your journey on this path to providing basic needs for everyone.
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Berkeley Food Institute
Location: 15 University Hall, MC #3100 Berkeley, CA 94720
Contact Information: foodinstitute@berkeley.edu; (510) 529-1533
Website: https://food.berkeley.edu
The Berkeley Food Institute has three programs: community engagement and education, policy, and research, in order to transform food systems to expand access to healthy, affordable food and promote sustainable and equitable food production. They are focused on agroecology, fair and healthy jobs, and good food access.
VOLUNTEER:
The best way students can get connected with BFI is through their student opportunities newsletters, which people can subscribe to at the bottom of any page on their website, Berkeley Student Farms (http://studentfarms.berkeley.edu/), and the food systems undergrad minor (https://food.berkeley.edu/programs/community-engagement-edu/food-systems-minor/) and grad student certificate (https://food.berkeley.edu/programs/community-engagement-edu/graduate-certificate-food-systems/). They also have a list of student groups on their site, which is continually updated (https://food.berkeley.edu/for-students/student-groups/)
