Basic Needs
Everyone's circumstances can change. UC San Diego and community partners offer resources that can help staff access food, housing support, essential items, and other basic needs. Explore available programs and find the support that's right for you.
Food Assistance
UC San Diego Free Food Distribution
The Basic Needs Center hosts a free food distribution on the last Friday of the month. Open to students, staff, faculty and community members! Distributions will include shelf stable pantry items (e.g., canned goods, pasta) along with fresh seasonal produce. If you are interested in helping the food distribution, sign up to volunteer.
Attendees are highly encouraged to bring their own reusable grocery bags to carry their items.
Upcoming Distributions:
San Diego Food Pantries & Community Programs
- We All We Got SD – Mutual aid network offering community food support.
- More Than Apples – Weekly grocery boxes and fresh produce rescues.
- Foodshed Cooperative – Affordable produce and local farm partnerships.
- Porchlight Community Services – Choice based food assistance focused on sustainability.
Countywide & Government Services
- Feeding San Diego – Search by zip code to see food distributions and community partners in your area.
- San Diego Food Bank – Emergency groceries and partner pantry locations.
- 2-1-1 San Diego – Central directory for emergency groceries, CalFresh support, senior meals, and more.
Housing
UC San Diego Housing
Staff can find off-campus housing listings, roommate resources, rental information, exclusive UC San Diego housing opportunities, and relocation/transfer allowances.
Framework is a new residential community for UC San Diego and UC San Diego Health faculty and staff located in Downtown San Diego.
La Jolla Del Sol is a condominium-style community in a prime location just minutes from the UC San Diego campus, exclusive for staff and faculty.
San Diego Housing Commission
The San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) is a nationally-renown public housing agency that aims to find creative solutions to fight housing insecurity for all people. They run three major programs in San Diego County: administering federal rental housing assistance for more than 16,000 low-income households annually, working with local governments to find solutions for homelessness, and developing affordable housing units through partnerships and investments.
2-1-1 San Diego Housing Resources
211 San Diego Housing Resources connects individuals and families with local programs and services to help address a variety of housing needs.
Explore resources for affordable and low-income housing, rental assistance, homelessness prevention, emergency and transitional shelter, supportive housing, and housing counseling. You can also call 2-1-1 for free, confidential support to discuss your situation and get connected with appropriate housing resources in San Diego County.
