Basic Needs Dashboard

Basic Needs Overview

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
At least one form of basic need insecurity 44% 47% 46%
Food insecurity in the prior 30 days 20% 30% 25%
Housing insecurity in the previous year 36% 33% 35%
Homelessness in the previous year 12% 9% 11%

Food Insecurity

Nationwide Student Food Insecurity

Item 2022 2024 Average Trend
Number of Students Facing Food Insecurity 17 million 18.3 million 17.65 million
Percentage of Students Facing Food Insecurity 12.8% 13.7% 13.3%

Level of WCU Student Food Insecurity in the Past 30 Days

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
High food insecurity 68% 54% 61%
Marginal food insecurity 11% 15% 13%
Low food insecurity 9% 13% 11%
Very low food insecurity 12% 17% 15%

Type of WCU Student Food Insecurity

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Worried whether food would run out before I got money to buy more 23% 32% 28%
Couldn't afford to eat balanced meals 26% 39% 33%
Food bought didn't last and didn't have money to buy more 16% 26% 21%
Cut size of meals/skipped meals because there wasn't enough money for food 18% 25% 22%
Ate less than I felt I shoud because there wasn't enough money for food 17% 24% 21%
Hungry but didn't eat because there wasn't enough money for food. 13% 20% 17%
3 or more times, cut size of meals/skipped meals because there wasn't enough money for food 12% 17% 15%
Lost weight because there wasn't enough money for food 9% 12% 11%
Did not eat for a day because there wasn't enough money for food 4% 6% 5%
3 or more times, did not eat for a day because there wasn't enough money for food 3% 3% 3%

WCU Resource Pantry Usage

Item 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 Trend
Students Who Visited the Resource Pantry 655 1,004 1,175 1,390
Number of Resource Pantry Visits 3,958 7,037 8,441 11,840
Total Number of Resource Pantry Items Distributed       103,356  
    Number of Resource Pantry Food Items Distributed       78,360  
    Number of Resource Pantry Personal Care Items Distributed       22,402  

Housing Insecurity

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Default/collections 5% 7% 6%
Left unsafe household 5% 5% 5%
Moved in with others 10% 5% 8%
Moved 3+ times 11% 5% 8%
Occupants exceeded capacity 7% 2% 5%
Unaffordable rent/mortgage increase 9% 20% 15%
Un(der)paid rent/mortgage 12% 7% 10%
Un(der)paid utilities 9% 9% 9%

Homelessness

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Abandoned building/car/tent 1% 1% 1%
Homeless 2% 2% 2%
Hotel or motel 1% 1% 1%
Stayed with friends/relatives 9% 8% 9%
Treatment center 1% 2% 2%
Outdoor location (e.g., sidewalk, alley, bus stop, train stop, etc). 1%   1%
Transitional housing or independent living program 0%   0%
Shelter 0%   0%
Group home (e.g., half way house, residential program for mental health/substance use) 0%   0%

Additional Needs

Experiences with Childcare

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Missed 3+ days of class due to childcare   10% 10%
Childcare is unaffordable   88% 88%

Experiences with Transportation

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Late to class due to transportation   18% 18%
Missed class/work due to transportation 9% 9%

Modes of Transportation

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Bike   1% 1%
Drive   36% 36%
Get a ride   3% 3%
Public transit   6% 6%
Walk   42% 42%
Other mode of transportation   2% 2%
I don't regularly go to campus   11% 11%

Experiences with Technology

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Missed assignments due to internet/technology   5% 5%

Modes of Technology

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Computer I own   91% 91%
Computer I borrow   4% 4%
Smartphone   3% 3%
Other device   1% 1%

Internet Access

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Internet on campus   82% 82%
Internet where I live   93% 93%
Internet in another location   5% 5%

Public Benefits

Use of Public Benefits

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Community   1% 1%
Direct financial   8% 8%
Food   6% 6%
Healthcare   12% 12%
Housing or Utility   3% 3%
Transportation   2% 2%
Veterans   2% 2%
None   74% 74%

Campus Support

Use of Campus Supports

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Affordable housing 6% 2% 4%
App assistance: SNAP 8% 5% 7%
App assistance: Other   2% 2%
Emergency grant 17% 2% 10%
Emergency housing 3% 1% 2%
Food pantry   12% 12%
Food scholarships/vouchers   2% 2%
Health clinic/counseling   19% 19%
Transportation/bus pass   8% 8%
Wifi hotspot/laptop   16% 16%

Stress When Seeking Emergency Aid

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
All respondents 57%   57%
Respondents experiencing basic needs insecurity 65%   65%

Use of Emergency Aid

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Reduce stress 75%   75%
Educational materials for classes 65%   65%
Stay enrolled at the university 61%   61%
Pay for housing 55%   55%
Have more or better food to eat 43%   43%
Fix car/buy gas/pay transit 42%   42%
Support family members with bills 24%   24%
Buy/improve laptop/computer 21%   21%
Pay back a loan 19%   19%
Avoid eviction 18%   18%
Pay for entertainment/relaxation 17%   17%
Travel home 16%   16%
Medical care 9%   9%
Educational materials for child 5%   5%
Leave an unsafe living situation 4%   4%
Pay for childcare 2%   2%

Barriers to Use of Campus Support

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Accessibility   3% 3%
Availability   20% 20%
Awareness   58% 58%
Confidentiality concerns   2% 2%
Fit   4% 4%
Scarcity concerns   27% 27%
Social   6% 6%
Transportation   3% 3%
No need or no barriers   57% 57%

Reasons Students with Basic Needs Don't Use Campus Supports

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
I do not think I am eligible 78%   78%
Other people need those programs more than I do 77%   77%
I do not need these programs 60%   60%
I do not know how to apply 48%   48%
I did not know they existed or were available 45%   45%
People like me do not use programs like that 26%   26%
I am embarrassed to apply 21%   21%
I had difficulty completing the application 8%   8%

Survey Response Rate

Item 2020 (Hope Survey) 2025 (Hope Survey) Average Trend
Number of Students Who Completed the Survey 2,554 2,351 2,453
Number of Students Invited to Participate in Survey 22,506 17,171 19,839
Response Rate 11% 14% 13%