Student Basic Needs

Concord University Student Basic Needs LogoWelcome to the CU Student Basic Needs website. Basic needs may include food, housing, clothing, childcare, transportation, or other financial resources. Across the U.S. nearly 3 in 5 college students experience basic needs insecurity (#RealCollege Survey). At Concord, a recent survey revealed that 50% of CU students have faced some sort of basic needs insecurity. Our goal is to provide you with available resources and services to ensure you can be successful students.

Resources (On-Campus & External)

  • Concord University Gap Fund: The Concord University Gap Fund is a grant dedicated to providing small awards to undergraduate Concord students who have high unmet need or who find themselves in a financial situation that may lead to their dropping out.
  • Additional Concord University & Foundation Scholarships
  • CFWV.com College for West Virginia: Dig into a database of over 20,000 scholarships to find the ones that match you. It’s easy! Then sign up to receive monthly emails with lists of scholarships that match your profile

  • CU Food Pantry & Free Pantry: The CU Food Pantry, located in the Rahall atrium, is stocked with non-perishable foods, toiletries, and school supplies. A Free Pantry found in the ground floor lockers of the Student Center includes snacks, school supplies, and toiletries. The library also has a small food pantry.
  • CU Professional Clothing Closet: Includes professional clothing and household items such as towels, bedding, toiletries, etc. It is located on the 3rd floor of the Student Center, conference room D.
  • http://foodlink.wvu.edu/ (includes county profiles of food insecurity data and resources in the county)
  • Subsidized housing
  • Mountaineer Rental Assistance Program

  • Legal Aid of WV: Legal Aid of WV is a statewide nonprofit organization providing free legal services and advocacy.
  • Veterans Advocacy Law Clinic: In the clinic, law students have the opportunity to represent the West Virginia veterans in litigation before administrative agencies and courts on benefits, discharge upgrades, employment claims and other civil matters. In addition, students can represent local and national organizations in non-litigation matters relating to the legal needs of veterans, including regulatory and legislative reform efforts, media advocacy, and strategic planning.

  • The Concord University Counseling Center: Located on the 3rd floor of the Student Center, the Counseling Center provides FREE counseling services, both individual and interpersonal, and other resources for part and full-time students. Additional mental health resources can be found on the Counseling Center website.
  • The Concord University Student Health Center: Located in Woodell Hall the Health Center provides free basic level medical care for acute minor illness or injury
  • CU Food Pantry & the CU Free pantry have toiletry items, and the Student Center has free feminine hygiene products in restrooms

  • Mountain Heart
  • WVCHIP (WV Children’s Health Insurance Program): WVCHIP was created to help working families who do not have health insurance for their children.
  • Birth to Three: Sheila can help anyone who needs assistance navigating the Birth to Three process
  • School Clothing Allowance: The School Clothing Allowance (SCA) program provides vouchers for clothing appropriate for school such as pants, shirts, skirts, dresses, shoes, coats, underwear and other basic clothing.
  • Free vaccines can be provided to your child by the West Virginia Division of Immunization Services. The program known as Vaccines For Children (“VFC”) provides shots and vaccines to qualified children including those without health insurance coverage. Children enrolled in public health care programs such as Medicaid can also receive immunizations for free too.
  • WV Right from the Start: This will provide insurance coverage for your pregnancy and your new baby as well. This public assistance program will help residents’ access medical care if they are uninsured or have limited health care benefits and are not eligible for Medicaid but meet other necessary requirements. It will in effect allow people the ability to arrange to get health care for yourself and your baby. Services provided include:
    • Get help in finding and signing up for Childbirth classes
    • Assistance in quitting drinking or smoking
    • Receive guidance for eating healthier for both you and your baby
    • Accessing Parenting training and classes
    • Get help with arranging transportation to medical and doctor appointments

Many West Virginia public benefits can be accessed at wvpath.org. If you select the Apply Now button, you can apply for several such as SNAP, Medicaid, low-income energy assistance program, and school clothing assistance utilizing this one site.

  • Textbook libraries—The CACD has some books that are available for temporary loan. There also may be textbooks on reserve in the library.
  • Laptop loans/computer labs – Technology Services and the CACD have a limited number of laptops that are available for students to borrow. SSS has some laptops available for loan for their participants and a computer lab located in the study lounge in the Student Center. Additionally, there are computer labs open to all students in multiple academic buildings, the library, the game room/commuter lounge (Student Center), and the Rahall atrium (2nd floor). The Rahall atrium is the only small lab open 24/7.

  • Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP): Assists eligible households with the cost of home heating through direct cash payments or payments to utility companies on their behalf. A crisis component is available for households without resources facing the loss of a heating source. Eligibility for both program components is based on a combination of factors, including income, type of heating payment, and total heating costs.
  • The Special Reduced Rate Service Program (20% Utility Discount Program): Established by the West Virginia State Government to assist eligible participants in receiving a 20 percent discount from their gas, electric and water companies.
  • Tele-assistance/LIFELINE: Through Tel-Assistance/Lifeline, telephone companies offer reduced basic service to eligible low-income elderly and disabled customers. The Division of Family Assistance issues applications to eligible recipients and provides ongoing eligibility information to the telephone companies and informs them when customers are no longer eligible for Tel-Assistance. This is handled centrally by the Division of Family Assistance.
  • Weatherization: The Weatherization Assistance Program mission is to reduce energy costs for low income families, particularly for the elderly, people with disabilities, and children by improving energy efficiency of their homes while ensuring their health and safety.

SYLLABUS STATEMENT

Any student who has difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or who lacks a safe and stable place to live, and believes this may affect their performance in the course, is urged to contact the Dean of Students, Anna Hardy, (amhardy@concord.edu or 304-384-5378) or the Center for Academic & Career Development (CACD; cacd@concord.edu or 304-384-6074), for support. Furthermore, please notify the professor if you are comfortable in doing so. This will enable the professor to provide any resources that they may possess. More information at www.concord.edu/student-life/student-basic-needs.
(Adapted from Dr. Sarah Goldrick-Rab’s Basic Needs Security statement)