Basic Needs Support

We all face unanticipated challenges during our lives, sometimes those challenges include food insecurity, housing and other financial concerns. UNH has a variety of supports to provide assistance during difficult times.

  • Wildcat Cupboard
  • Wildcat Wardrobe
  • Wildcat Cupboard

UNH Manchester’s Wildcat Cupboard, located in Room 437, helps alleviate food insecurity for the campus community in need by providing access to free, nourishing food. The food cupboard is available to all UNH Manchester students by appointment.

How to Make an Appointment:

Appointments can be made one week in advance. Only one appointment per week is allowed.

Undergraduate student appointments are available:

Tuesdays: 11AM to 12PM

Wednesday: 5:30PM to 7PM

Thursdays: 12PM-2PM

Registration is required. Please sign up here

Graduate student appointments are available:

Tuesdays: 12PM to 1PM

Wednesday: 4PM to 5:30PM

Thursdays: 2PM to 4PM

Registration is required. Please sign up here

How it Works:
  • The cupboard is available to all UNH Manchester undergraduate and graduate students, staff or faculty who need assistance. There are an assortment of items including pasta, canned food, cereal, milk, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, which are purchased from the NH Food Bank through a grant or donated by members of the community.
  • All items are to be placed in a bag, weighed on the scale and logged on the form. This allows us to track usage and is required. Take only what you need so that all in need can have access to the supplies.
  • A UNH reusable bag will be given to you to use for the year. Please bring this bag with you each time you visit the cupboard.
  • One student allowed in the cupboard per appointment time.
For Questions or to Volunteer:

Please contact UNHM.Foodpantry@unh.edu. Volunteer tasks may include loading or unloading food deliveries, stocking shelves, and other opportunities as needed. 

Donate to the Cupboard:

The Manchester Wildcat Cupboard is supported by donations and sponsors. Please see ways to donate below:

  • Items can be ordered and shipped to UNH Manchester from the pantry’s Amazon Wish List.
  • If you would like to provide a monetary donation, please donate through the UNH Manchester Food Insecurity Program
  • To drop off food donations in person, there is a box located outside the pantry (room 437).
Contact:

Email: UNHM.Foodpantry@unh.edu

Additional Local Food Resources
  • If community members are not able to come campus, we encourage you to access this interactive map of available food resources in New Hampshire for food resources throughout the state, courtesy of UNH Cooperative Extension.

The UNH Manchester Wildcat Wardrobe provides students access to new and gently used professional attire for interviews, career fairs, networking events, and the workplace. The goal of Wildcat Wardrobe is to remove financial barriers that may prevent students with the highest need from looking and feeling their best during the internship and job search process.

How It Works:

Students can visit the Wildcat Wardrobe in Room 288 and select up to 4 items per semester. Items are completely free and yours to keep permanently.

Donations:

If you are interested in supporting our students, we welcome new or gently worn business clothing donations. All donations must be clean and in wearable condition. Donations can be left in the bin outside of Room 288. Items we are looking for:

  • Business Suits
  • Dress Shirts
  • Blazers
  • Dress Slacks
  • Ties
  • Dresses

Additional Clothing Resources:

Below is a list of area thrift stores that sell gently used clothing, furniture, and other household items at a discounted price.

Manchester

  • Goodwill Store, 165 John E Devine Dr., Manchester
  • Outfitters, 394 Second St, Manchester
  • Plato’s Closet, 777 South Willow Street Plaza, Manchester
  • Savers, 93 S. Maple St., Manchester

Goffstown

  • Community Closet. 9 N. Mast St., Goffstown

Hooksett

  • Corey’s Closet, 1329 Hooksett Rd., Hooksett

Hudson

  • Goodwill Store, 9 Wason Rd., Hudson

Nashua

  • Savers, 224 Daniel Webster, Nashua
  • The Grey Nuns Thrift Shop, 11 Main St., Nashua
  • Lucky Dog Thrift Shop, 23 Elm St., Nashua

No student should have to worry about homelessness, eviction or couch surfing when midterms, keeping your GPA up, and getting to work is already stressful enough. Below are some resources both on and off-campus that may be helpful. 

https://www.unh.edu/dean-of-students/getting-help/basic-needs/housing-resources

We know that finances can be a barrier to starting college or completing your degree, and UNH has dozens of resources, options, and opportunities to help you remove those barriers. Scholarships, emergency funding resources, financial aid, and financial wellness resources are all available to you.

https://www.unh.edu/dean-of-students/getting-help/basic-needs/financial-resources

UNH Manchester Scholarships:

https://manchester.unh.edu/admissions/financial-aid/scholarships

We know there are a lot of costs to attending college beyond tuition, such as housing, basic food and hygiene needs, textbooks, transportation and more.  Additionally, the financial aid process is detailed and complicated, especially student loans.  We aim to demystify the finances of the college experience and aid students in building the skills necessary for life-long financial success.

https://www.unh.edu/dean-of-students/getting-help/basic-needs/financial-resources/financial-wellness

The Loaner Laptop program at UNH helps undergraduate and graduate students who do not have the financial means to access or replace the technical resources required to learn and study. Students who are approved receive a laptop to be used for that semester. 

NOTE: Due to the large number of requests we have received for laptops we are currently very low on stock and may need to add you to a waitlist.

To request a Loaner Laptop please complete the Loaner Laptop Request Form