Basic Needs Information at Drake

Scholars and those impacted by higher education are seeing an issue with the lack of education and access surrounding basic needs resources such as housing, food security, healthcare, transportation, clothing, etc. 

Therefore, our capstone created the campaign, Drake Cares.We know Drake students are struggling with basic needs insecurity based on the data provided by the Drake University Climate Assessment published in 2019. In fact, 37.97% of Drake students reported facing financial hardship while attending Drake. The most prevalent reason for experiencing financial hardship was difficulty in affording tuition (17.83%). Then difficulty in purchasing books (11.33%), participating in study abroad (9.56%), affording housing (9.03%), etc. Financial hardship is not the only source of insecurity. Food and housing have been reported at Drake as well. There were three people who were housing insecure–sleeping in a car, office building, or couch surfing–based on the reporting population of the Climate Survey at Drake. Additionally, 7.39% of students experienced difficulty affording food, (Drake University Climate Assessment).