The Berkeley Basic Needs Center

Four people hold vegetables and smile in front of the Basic Needs Food Pantry.
$280,470 from 1,516 donors so far! Campaign ends December 5!
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Join the $250K Challenge for the Basic Needs Center!

Thanks to the generosity of our community, $32,000 in match gifts have already been fulfilled, doubling the impact of your contributions to the Basic Needs Center. 

We are deeply grateful to our initial match donors for leading the way. 

  • Jeanette Kennedy M.B.A. ’94, P '22 and Kevin Kennedy J.D. ’91, P '22
  • Anonymous
  • Gerri Bock P ‘25 and Laszlo Bock P ‘25
  • Beth and Mike Miller P '23

Now, Anita and Steve Westly have stepped forward with a transformative $250,000 gift to strengthen student support at UC Berkeley. They are asking you to join them today: to collectively rise to the challenge and ensure every student has access to nourishing food.

Your gift of any size is part of a powerful movement. Together, we can expand the reach of the Basic Needs Center to provide emergency support to the thousands of Berkeley students who need it.


The Need Doesn’t End With the Shutdown: Support UC Berkeley Students During the SNAP Delay

The recent federal government shutdown has ended, but it only amplified the challenges for UC Berkeley students who were already struggling with food and housing insecurity. 

Thanks to our community’s quick action during the government shutdown, the Basic Needs Center was able to provide vital support through emergency financial assistance and additional food resources. But the need hasn’t stopped since the shutdown ended.

Food and housing insecurity continue to impact thousands of students and requests for emergency assistance continue to increase. 

At UC Berkeley, nearly 17,000 students, more than one in three, don’t have reliable access to food. Over 3,300 students lack stable housing, and more than 2,400 face both hunger and housing instability at the same time.


The Basic Needs Center continues to meet these growing needs by expanding access to food, emergency aid, and case management support.

We are committed to ensuring every student has access to essentials like groceries, rent assistance, and emergency aid so they can focus on learning, not survival.

Your continued support helps us bridge critical gaps and provide direct financial assistance, nutritious food access, and case management for students facing urgent need.

Your gift today helps sustain students’ well-being beyond the crisis.

The Basic Needs Center is leveraging its existing programs, infrastructure, and partnerships to ensure continuity of food access for students during this period. Your donation provides direct aid to students and short-term program expansion enabling students to focus on their studies instead of their next meal.

  • A gift of $75 covers a week's worth of groceries for one student facing food insecurity due to the delay in benefits.
  • A $300 gift covers groceries for one month's worth of groceries for one student dealing with longer-term food insecurity.
  • A gift of $500 can support a student parent’s groceries for one month.


The Basic Needs Center's Focused Response Plan

The Basic Needs Center is actively channeling support, prioritizing the most acute needs, and coordinating a holistic response

  • Expanding immediate food support through additional food pantry distributions days, Grab & Go meals, dining hall meal vouchers, and emergency grocery gift cards
  • Expanding immediate financial support through emergency food awards 
  • Continuing to support students with their other basic needs challenges including resource navigation and connection to on-and-off-campus resources

We need your help to keep our students stable.

Every enrolled student who receives CalFresh benefits is eligible for this support. Your contribution provides the immediate stability necessary for our students to continue their education at UC Berkeley.