Program Highlights

Bridging Opportunity Gaps

What is Basic Needs Oregon?

Basic Needs Oregon was created by the passage of Oregon House Bill 2835 (HB 2835) in 2021. HB 2835 was designed to close opportunity gaps and facilitate economic mobility by increasing access to federal, state, and local benefits for low-income students at community colleges and public universities. The bill, which is now statute (ORS 350.262), funds a benefits navigator position at each of the 17 community colleges and seven public universities in Oregon as well as the Basic Needs Oregon Statewide Consortium. The benefits navigators connect Oregon students to federal, state, and local benefits and resources, enabling them to achieve their educational goals and move toward increased economic mobility. The Statewide Consortium supports exchange of best practices, data collection, reporting, resource creation, and technical assistance. Together, they aim to connect Oregon students to necessary resources and scale best practices to facilitate a systemic, cohesive approach to alleviating college student basic needs insecurity across the state. To learn more please visit here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uCSCRIcHncgfqphwPMdh4mzFntKs-sJlAJ5A300vLdY/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.mkp6eoz7zfoc

EOU Food Pantry Services

The Food Pantry and Benefits Navigator program launched in September 2022 with a single small pantry serving approximately 50 students per month. In 2023, the program expanded to include two additional satellite pantries on campus and broadened the range of available food resources. As shown in the graph to the left, this expansion enabled the program to support more than 250 students per month, reflecting substantial growth in both reach and impact.

During the 2024–2025 academic year, we observed a significant increase in the use of our on-campus food pantries. As shown in the table to the right, our pantries supported more than 4,000 individuals, representing over 12,000 household members. On average, approximately 400 individuals accessed our pantries each month. These numbers demonstrate a substantial need for food resources among our student population and reinforce the importance of maintaining accessible on-campus pantries as a critical first step in addressing food insecurity and supporting students’ basic needs.

To learn more about our on-campus food pantries and the services offered, please visit our food pantry page.

Emergency Voucher Program

The Student Basic Needs Voucher Program through the Benefits Navigator provides financial assistance to students by offering vouchers that help cover essential needs, such as food, hygiene items, transportation, and emergency supplies. The goal of the program is to reduce barriers that impact students’ well-being and academic success by ensuring they have access to the basic resources needed to thrive.

Student Success Partnerships

Partners such as the Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living (EOCIL) play an important role in supporting students’ well-being by donating personal hygiene kits throughout the year. These kits often include essential items such as soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, and other daily necessities that many students may struggle to afford. During emergency situations or unexpected personal hardships, these hygiene kits have proven to be a vital resource. Students can easily access them at any of our on-campus food pantry locations, ensuring immediate support when it is needed most.

Online Resource Fairs

These events are intentionally designed to highlight the wide range of essential on- and off-campus resources available to EOU students. They not only introduce students to academic, financial, and wellness support services on campus, but also connect them with community organizations that assist with food, housing, childcare, healthcare, and other basic needs. Special emphasis is placed on reaching online and remote learners, ensuring they are aware of—and have equitable access to—the same supports as students on campus. By increasing visibility and awareness of these services, the events help ensure that all students have the tools, information, and connections they need to thrive and succeed at EOU.