The Center for Community Engagement and Social Impact invited students to participate in a Student Basic Needs Survey from the HOPE Center in fall 2024. This was the second time the survey has been administered at WCU.
Basic Needs Overview
Item
2020 (Hope Survey)
2024 (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)
2024 (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)
2024 (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)
2024 (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)
2024 (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)
2024 (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)
2024 (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)
2024 (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)
2024 (Hope Survey)
Average
Trend
Missed assignments due to internet/technology
5%
5%
Modes of Technology
Item
2020 (Hope Survey)
2024 (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)
2024 (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)
2024 (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)
2024 (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)
2024 (Hope Survey)
Average
Trend
All respondents
57%
57%
Respondents experiencing basic needs insecurity
65%
65%
Use of Emergency Aid
Item
2020 (Hope Survey)
2024 (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)
2024 (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)
2024 (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)
2024 (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
