Basic Needs, at its core, refers to insecurity of food, housing, clothing, period products, etc. Kalamazoo College aims to support students through programs and resources to meet their basic needs, so students can focus on academic success. The following programs are specific to campus, but there are several organizations and resources in the community that we can help you reach out to. Please reach out to Haley Mangette, Assistant Director of Student Success for Wellness, at Haley.Mangette@kzoo.edu.
Hungry Hornets
- The Hungry Hornets Meals has a fridge stocked with “to go” meals – made fresh daily and utilize food otherwise destined for compost. Available in the kitchenette in Hicks 110, these meals are designed to support students who can benefit from some extra help with their daily meals.
- The Hungry Hornets Meal Swipe program allows students with a meal plan to donate meals they won’t use so they can be reallocated to students who could use help with food.
- The Hungry Hornets Pantry, located in Hicks 110, is a community-based pantry that collects and distributes food.
Period Products for All People
Anyone who has periods deserves access to period products. Period Products for All People is an initiative to expand access to period products for individuals who have periods and contribute to the end of period poverty.
Individuals can find period products inside the stalls of all bathrooms in Hicks Student Center.
Textbooks
Check to see if your textbook is an Open Educational Resource- What are OERs? – Guide to OER: Open Educational Resources.
Transportation for Breaks, Emergencies, and Leaves
Transportation to Kalamazoo Airport, Train Station, or Grand Rapids Airport
Student Development coordinates shuttle transportation for students leaving for and returning from breaks. We coordinate rides from and to the Kalamazoo airport, Kalamazoo train station, or Grand Rapids airport. An email is sent out to students between week 6 and 7 of each term to organize rides. As these are shuttles, we try our best to accommodate all riders but cannot always promise a ride.
Flights
The College maintains a small bank of flights to assist students with transportation for a number of different circumstances. The Assistant Director of Student Success (Haley Mangette, Haley.Mangette@kzoo.edu) awards flights on a case-by-case basis.
The process for considering eligibility for receiving flights:
- Request is made to Student Development.
- Requests for flights will be reviewed no earlier than a month prior to travel.
- Financial Aid team is consulted.
- The team reviews the student’s financial information to evaluate financial need.
- If student demonstrates financial need, Student Development then reviews reasoning for transportation.
- Priority will be made for requests for unplanned emergency situations, but will consider travel home for long breaks, and travel home for religious/spiritual holidays.
- Flights cannot be used for:
- Vacation (a flight should be used to return home not to another destination)
- Flight for school sponsored event
- Flights for study abroad/study away.
- Please contact the Center for International Programs – | Kalamazoo College for information on assistance for travel.
- For internships
- Student will be contacted with the decision.
For any questions, please contact the Assistant Director of Student Success for Wellness, 269.337.7460.
Winter Clothing
If you are in need of winter outerwear, please stop by Student Development in the Hicks Student Center.
We have a limited selection of gently used winter jackets, hats, scarves, gloves, boots, etc. These are available free to students who need them. Please stop by Stu Dev (open 8a – 5p, M-F) to grab the gear you need to stay warm.
If you have extra winter clothing you would like to donate, please drop it off at Stu Dev.