Box of food supply being handed from one person to another

Basic Needs

The Basic Needs program offers support to students experiencing food, housing, and basic needs insecurity. We aim to connect students to resources on and off campus.

1 in 2
UNLV students report difficulty meeting basic needs
1,219
UNLV students accessed basic needs supplies in the fall of 2023
30,518
items distributed to students during the fall of 2023

General Basic Needs Events

All Events

Access Basic Needs Support

Students who need support accessing housing, food, and basic need items can reach out directly to connect with staff to receive in person guidance and connections to community and campus resources (such as the HOPE Scholars Program or the UNLV Clark County Housing Grant).

Students can also directly access basic need items in our office (outside of our Take What You Need events) such as hygiene products, nonperishable food, school supplies, clothing/linens, cleaning supplies, and more.

Contact

Ash Xander Quinn
Basic Needs Program Coordinator
Student Union Room 309
Email: ash.quinn@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-5721

bottles of hygiene products displayed on a table

Take What You Need Program

Our Take What You Need program is offered multiple times a semester for students in need of items, including:

  • Hygiene products
  • Bedding
  • Household goods
  • Non-perishable food

Upcoming Events

Donation

We accept donations of new/gently used items for our Take What You Need programs and Basic Needs Closet. Donations can be delivered to:

Student Union
Room 316, Front Desk
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

We also accept donations from our Amazon Wishlist.

On-Campus Resources

The UNLV Support Team assists students in distress by connecting them to various academic and wellness services, including housing, food, or financial insecurity resources. Members of the UNLV community may request the team’s support for any individual they identify as needing intervention.

The Graduate College Student Support Spot provides basic needs support to graduate students, such as guidance related to mental health, childcare, and digital access services.

The UNLV Food Pantry allows students, staff, and faculty to access perishable and non-perishable food items year round. To access the Food Pantry, a Rebel ID card or proof of employment or class registration at UNLV is required.

The Supporting Our Students (S.O.S) Emergency Relief Fund provides emergency relief to students faced with an emergency situation (such as accidents, family death, dire damage, food/housing insecurity, illness), outside of the cost of education.

The Diapers for Diplomas Program aims to assist parent students in attending or returning to higher education. It provides an award of 200 diapers per month for a full academic year to qualifying students.

The Nevada Foster Care Fee Waiver was passed in 2018 by the Nevada System of Higher Education, and states “a student who was in the custody of an agency which provides child welfare services in Nevada after the student reached the age of 13 may be permitted to register for credit without a registration fee or […] laboratory fee(s).”

The Undocumented Student Program provides support services to undocumented students and mixed-status families on the UNLV campus.

The Intersection: UNLV's Academic Multicultural Resource Center supports students, particularly first-generation and students of color, successfully navigate their academic careers by providing various supports, programs, and mentorship opportunities.

The UNLV Student Health Center consists of various health resources for the UNLV community, such as same-day primary care appointments, a pharmacy, a laboratory, a registered dietician, student health insurance, and more.

The Jean Nidetch CARE Center offers a range of resources for communities impacted by sexual violence, relationship violence, family violence, and/or stalking such as: confidential virtual support services, holistic healing workshops, and education and awareness events for the campus.

UNLV's Student Counseling and Psychological Services provides a variety of mental health services to the campus community, including individual and group therapy, clinical services, and self-help resources.

UNLV PRACTICE provides behavioral, cognitive, and mental health care to the community at a low cost.

UNLV's Center for Individual Couples and Family Counseling provides therapy services at no cost to students.

The Boyd School of Law's Thomas and Mack Legal Clinic provides free legal services to members of the campus community.

Off-Campus Resources