Indiana University Northwest has received a $900,000 federal grant to ease the burden of students to meet their basic needs such as food, housing and transportation.
The university announced the grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program last week in a release.
More than two-thirds of IU Northwest students receive financial aid and the grant will allow them to concentrate on academic pursuits without having the burden of unmet basic needs, said IU Northwest Interim Chancellor Vicki Román-Lagunas.
IUN plans to establish RedHawks CARE or Community Aligned Resources and Engagement.
With the grant money, two new campus positions will be created to assist and connect students to basic needs and resources.
The program will also collaborate with organizations, including the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana and United Way Northwest Indiana, to help students.
The grant also will enable the expansion of the campus food pantry called RedHawks Nest and provide stipends for housing expenses. It will offer vouchers, gas cards or bus passes to help students with transportation needs and a campus-wide mental health strategy will be developed.
“This funding not only contributes to lasting individual student achievements but also underscores the campus’s enduring commitment to the broader community,” said Román-Lagunas.
IU Northwest is the most diverse campus in the IU system, and since it received a Hispanic-Serving Institution designation in 2020, it’s secured nearly $9 million in funding. The designation opened the door for this latest “basic needs” grant.
IUN received the designation for having a full-time undergraduate enrollment made up of at least 25% Hispanic students. The enrollment was 28% in fall 2024.
“Through innovative programs like RedHawks CARE, we are not only addressing basic needs but also creating opportunities for long-term success and community impact,” said IU President Pamela Whitten.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
