National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week

College life can be stressful enough—but when worries about food, housing, or finances arise, that stress can quickly intensify. This workshop helps students understand how unmet basic needs impact mental health, focus, and motivation. Participants will explore ways to recognize signs of stress related to basic needs and learn practical strategies and campus resources to support their well-being during difficult times.

Think you know everything about UIC? Put your knowledge to the test at our Do You Really Know UIC? trivia event! Challenge yourself and your friends with questions about UIC resources, food and housing insecurity, nutrition facts, and more. Whether you're a trivia master or just curious to learn, this is your chance to discover new things about your campus community.

Come for the fun, free prizes, and friendly competition—and stay to learn valuable information that can help you and your fellow Flames thrive at UIC!

Stop by our Student Assistance Pop-Up to connect directly with a member of the Student Assistance Team and learn more about the wide range of resources available to support your success and well-being. Whether you need guidance on navigating campus support services, help completing a U&I Care Emergency Fund or Meal Fund application, or simply want a quick 1:1 check-in, our team is here to help!

This is a great opportunity to ask questions, access immediate assistance, and get connected with the tools and support you need to thrive. No appointment needed—just drop in and let us support you!

Highlights:

Learn about Student Assistance resources and services

Get help applying for the U&I Care Emergency or Meal Fund

Receive individualized support during quick 1:1 sessions

Ask questions and get connected to campus partners

Vinyasa flow is a format of movements that are seamlessly connected through breath, creating a flowing, continuous sequence. "Vinyasa" refers to the alignment of breath with movement, and "flow" emphasizes the smooth transitions between poses, almost like a dance.

College students navigating food insecurity, housing instability, transportation barriers, or financial crisis often struggle in silence—and their challenges may show up as absenteeism, disengagement, changes in academic performance, or behavior changes. This training equips UIC faculty and staff with the awareness, tools, and response strategies needed to better identify and support students experiencing unmet basic needs.
Participants will explore how basic needs insecurity impacts mental health, academic outcomes, identity-based inequities, and help-seeking behaviors. The training emphasizes trauma-informed, culturally responsive approaches and outlines campus and community resources, referral pathways, and communication strategies that reduce stigma and increase trust. Whether you teach, advise, supervise, or support students in another role, this session helps you respond with empathy and effectiveness.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
Recognize Indicators and Understand their Impact

Identify common signs of food insecurity, housing instability, transportation barriers, and financial distress as they appear in academic, behavioral, or interpersonal contexts. Briefly explore the history of marginalized communities with access to basic needs and learn how to respond with empathy and trauma-informed language. Explain how unmet basic needs affect student mental health, learning capacity, attendance, persistence, and sense of belonging—especially among first-generation, low-income, and system-impacted students.


Use Trauma-Informed Language

Engage students using respectful, non-shaming, and choice-centered language that considers cultural and socioeconomic contexts.


Know the Resources and Make Effective Referrals

Confidently connect students to on-campus and community resources (e.g., food pantries, emergency funds, housing support, legal services, counseling, case management).


Collaborate Without Overstepping

Clarify the appropriate role of faculty/staff in supporting students’ basic needs without acting as case managers or requiring personal disclosure. Understand the importance of choice-centered language.


Reduce Stigma and Foster a Trusting and Supportive Environment

Use strategies that create inclusive classroom and office environments where students feel safe asking for support.