Over the course of the next few weeks, over 52,000 students will begin fall classes at our two great higher education institutions. The transition to college life can come with challenges - and United Way is here to help.
The college life depicted in movies and TV shows does not reflect the reality of many students today. A study by Temple University and Wisconsin HOPE Lab, released in spring 2018, showed that across the country, 36% of University students are food insecure – 42% for community college students. And 9% of University students and 12% of community college students were homeless at one point in the last year.
Students who are facing food and housing challenges can find themselves spending more time focused on finding their next meal or a place to couch-surf, putting their grades, scholarships and ultimately, their futures at risk. But these are not the only two issues students may face – mental health, substance use, homesickness and other personal issues can all have a negative impact on academic performance.
United Way’s 2-1-1 service can help students find support groups, mental health counseling, healthcare options, housing assistance, food pantries, legal aid, substance abuse treatment or even a great volunteer opportunity! Don’t spend hours searching the internet or calling all over town when you’d rather be studying - just give one call to 2-1-1 and a real person will connect you with the right resource, the first time.
2-1-1 has many benefits:
- Free and confidential
- Available 24/7/365
- Real, local people answer the phone
- Support for all languages
- Complete listing of local resources
Simply dial 2-1-1 from any telephone. Alternatively, you may dial 1-888-865-9903.
Students at the University of Illinois can also contact the Counseling Center at 217-333-3704.
UIUC image in article by Daniel Schwen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
Published 8/22/2018
