FAQ

• What does SJSU Cares do?

  • SJSU Cares is a comprehensive on-campus program that works directly with students facing unforeseen financial crises. The program provides a safe space for students to receive services that include holistic case management, food, housing, and financial assistance, mentoring, educational programs, and connections to community resources. SJSU Cares aims to help students recover from unforeseen economic crises and stay on track to earn their degrees.

    From July to September 2021, SJSU Cares dispersed over $27,900 in Student Crisis Support Funds to 24 students to support their basic needs. Nearly 42% of the requests for assistance received by SJSU Cares from July through September were due to challenges related to the pandemic.

• What are the requirements to receive SJSU Cares services?

  • • Being a currently enrolled and SJSU student, 

    • Experiencing an unforeseen financial crisis or struggling to meet their basic needs for food and housing, and

    • Meeting with an SJSU case manager to develop individualized options.

• Who is eligible to get food from the Spartan Food Pantry?

  • • Must be currently enrolled or future enrolled SJSU student who has had prior enrollment

    • Must bring Tower ID Card & reusable grocery bags

    • Must earn a gross annual income of $34,263* or less (no documentation required)

• Are students required to take out loans to receive housing assistance from SJSU Cares?

  • Students are not required to take out a loan or maximize existing loans to qualify for temporary emergency housing.

    Students with longer-term needs can access a variety of resources, including direct financial assistance, grants, various aid programs, part-time jobs or loans to fund their education and college expenses to help maintain financial self-sufficiency and remain enrolled at SJSU.

• Does SJSU Cares ask students about their citizenship on the request for assistance? Is citizenship required for emergency housing?

  • Citizenship does not affect eligibility for temporary emergency housing or assistance from SJSU Cares. Case managers may ask about a student’s status in order to assess their eligibility for grants, scholarships, or other options that might be specific to UndocuSpartans and/or international students and not available to domestic residents.

• How long can students stay in free temporary emergency housing?

  • The length of free emergency housing is normally 2 nights, but can extend—and often has extended—beyond 2 nights, depending on the situation.

• How can I donate or volunteer to help SJSU Cares?

  • See the Give Assistance web page for information about donating, volunteering, and other ways to support SJSU Cares.

• How do I request a presentation for my class?

  • To request a presentation about SJSU Cares programs, resources and services for your class, department, club or organization, complete our Presentation Request Form. 

    Please submit your request as far in advance as possible and allow 4–5 business days for a response. Thank you!

• Has only one student used the SJSU emergency beds this fall?

  • From SJSU Cares quarterly report (July–September, 2021), SJSU Cares provided 85 days of temporary emergency housing, 60 provided in University Housing Services, and 25 using our hotel voucher program.

    Students often desire off-campus housing to accommodate their specific circumstances that don’t fit with living in a residence hall (pets, partners, etc.) Some students do not request emergency beds. Fiscal assistance for security deposits or a gap in current rent has occurred with many students to keep them housed in their selected location.

• What degree is homelessness present in SJSU’s student body and what does the university see as its role in assisting its students in finding housing?

  • In spring 2021, SJSU Cares conducted an inaugural basic needs survey to get a better understanding of basic needs on campus. More than 5,600 students, or about 16.2% of the enrolled student body, answered questions about their basic needs. The survey revealed the average duration of student homelessness was 3.4 days. The largest number of respondents indicated that they were homeless for one day.