Before the pandemic, roughly 115 CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) students took advantage of the campus Basic Needs Program in 2018/2019. During the 2019/2020 academic year, that number more than doubled with 243 students using the program. About half of those 243 students contacted the Basic Needs program right after March 2020.
“Many of our students are in the types of work that was disproportionately influenced by the shutdown,” said Associate Dean of Students Chelsee Bente — who leads the Basic Needs Program. “The shutdown also impacted many of our student’s families who suddenly had a loss of income.”
Fortunately, CSUCI’s Basic Needs Program received a boost in the form of a $27,652.17 grant in April and another $100,000 in May from the CSU Chancellor’s Office, for a total of $127,652.17.