58% of surveyed UH students hit with hunger, housing problems

VIDEO NEWS RELEASE

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Rainbow Uli‘i, (808) 783-1944
Student Basic Needs Coordinator, University of Hawai‘i System
Kelli Abe Trifonovitch, (808) 228-8108
Chief Communications Officer, UH Office of Communications
Posted: Jun 21, 2021


UH West O‘ahu student Mikyla Hi‘ilani Thomas.
UH West O‘ahu student Mikyla Hi‘ilani Thomas.
UH West O‘ahu student Mikyla Hi‘ilani Thomas
UH West O‘ahu student Mikyla Hi‘ilani Thomas

Link to video and sound (details below): https://bit.ly/3cUhzhf

WHAT: More than half of University of Hawaiʻi students surveyed last year experienced some type of basic needs insecurity, according to a recent study. Basic needs include, but are not limited to, food and housing, clothing, childcare, mental health, financial resources and transportation.

Among the results of the survey:

  • 58% experienced at least one form of basic needs insecurity

  • 39% experienced food insecurity in the prior 30 days

  • 44% experienced housing insecurity in the previous year

  • 14% experienced homelessness in the previous year

WHO: Invitations to complete a questionnaire were sent by email to 48,133 students from the UH System and 1,016 students participated, for an estimated response rate of 2.1%. 

HOW: In 2020, the UH Basic Needs Committee partnered with the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice to conduct a comprehensive basic needs assessment of the UH student body.

WHY: To combat basic student needs insecurity and to develop a Basic Needs Master Plan. Student hunger alone can affect mental health, academic performance and graduation rates.  

OTHER FACTS:

  • The full report on the UH System and reports for nine UH campuses are available on the UH Student Basic Needs website

  • In March 2021, the committee launched the online clearinghouse for both on-campus and city, state and federal basic needs resources. Students with a hawaii.edu email can also log in to use this search engine for more information and basic needs resources.  

  • UH’s findings are consistent with prior national studies of student basic needs insecurity conducted within the last five years.

  • UH appreciates the many generous donors who have given in support of basic student needs throughout the years. If you are able to help, visit this UH Foundation page to donate to the campus or program of your choice. 

VIDEO: (TRT: 1:49)

BROLL:

:00-23 File video of various UH campuses

:24-:53 Video of UH West O‘ahu student Mikyla Hi‘ilani Thomas

:54-1:09 Photos of Mikyla Hi‘ilani Thomas and her family

1:10-1:21 Video of UH Student basic needs website

SOUND:

Mikyla Hi‘ilani Thomas, UH West O‘ahu student (:10 sec.) (pronounced: Meh-Kai-La)

“Not really knowing what dinner was going to be like. Not really knowing how I was going to afford my next meal, how I was going to afford gas to get to class.”

Thomas (:12 sec.)

“We are all one job away from not being able to afford groceries. It’s all around us. It’s within every community.”