No Food for Thought - Insights on Basic Needs Insecurities and Mental Health Challenges from Trellis’ Fall 2020 Student Financial Wellness Survey

Oct 15, 2026

The spotlight report examines mental health impacts linked to basic needs insecurities among 20,095 college students surveyed in Trellis’ Fall 2020 Student Financial Wellness Survey. It highlights how food insecurity, housing insecurity, and homelessness undermine psychological and physical wellbeing, disrupt academic progress, and worsen focus in non-pandemic settings. Findings show over half of students experienced one or more BNI and that COVID-19 intensified stress, anxiety, or depression for large shares, especially at two- and four-year institutions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Key Findings

Basic Needs Insecurities (BNI) of Survey Respondents

SPOTLIGHT REPORT BRIEF TRELLIS RESEARCH | MARCH 2022 No Food for Thought: Insights on Basic Needs Insecurities and Mental Health Challenges from Trellis’ Fall 2020 Student Financial Wellness Survey Allyson Cornett, CPH, MPH and Carla Fletcher, MS March 2022 Recommended Citation: Cornett, A., & Fletcher, C. (2022) . No food for thought: Insights on basic needs insecurities and mental health challenges from Trellis’Fall 2020 Student Financial Wellness Survey. Trellis Company. College students are unable to meet their basic needs (food, housing, utilities, etc.) at greater rates than the general adult population of the United States.1 When students lack enough to eat and/or are unable to secure safe, stable housing, they often face tolls to their psychological and physical health. Additionally, compared to peers who are basic needs secure, students struggling with basic needs insecurities often encounter adverse academic outcomes, including poor grades, enrollment disruptions, academic dismissal, or suspension, etc.2,3 Even in a non-pandemic academic setting, these challenges can severely complicate a student’s ability to focus on schoolwork and being academically successful.4 Unfortunately, research suggests the pandemic has exacerbated instances of basic needs insecurity among college students, especially among vulnerable groups.5 This brief examines data from 20,095 students with one or more forms of basic needs insecurity (BNI) (i.e., food insecurity, housing insecurity, homelessness) from Trellis’ Fall 2020 Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS) with a special lens on their mental health (see page 3 for the measures used) . With more than one-third of all postsecondary students experiencing mental health challenges before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many more living with food and housing insecurity, having a full understanding of students’ lived experiences during the past year is critical.6 1 U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2018) . Food insecurity: Better information could help college students access federal food assistance benefits. Retrieved from: [https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/696254.pdf](https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/696254.pdf) 2 Fernandez, C., Webster, J., & Cornett, A. (2019) . Studying on empty: A qualitative study of low food security among college students. Trellis Company. Retrieved from: [https://www.trelliscompany.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Studying-on-Empty.pdf](https://www.trelliscompany.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Studying-on-Empty.pdf) [3](3 Goldrick-Rab)[ Goldrick-Rab](3 Goldrick-Rab), [S](S)., [Richardson](Richardson), [J](J)., [Scheider](Scheider), [J](J)., [Hernandez](Hernandez), [A](A)., [& Cady](& Cady), [C](C). ([2018](2018))[. Still hungry and](. Still hungry and) homeless in college. Retrieved from: [https://hope4college.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Wisconsin-HOPE-Lab-Still-Hungry-and-Homeless.pdf](https://hope4college.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Wisconsin-HOPE-Lab-Still-Hungry-and-Homeless.pdf) [4](4 Goldrick-Rab)[ Goldrick-Rab](4 Goldrick-Rab), [S](S)., [Baker-Smith](Baker-Smith), [C](C)., [Coca](Coca), [V](V)., [Looker](Looker), [T](T)., [& Williams](& Williams), [T](T). ([2019](2019))[. College and university basic](. College and university basic) needs insecurity: A national \#realcollege survey report. Retrieved from: [https://hope4college.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/HOPE_realcollege_National_report_digital.pdf](https://hope4college.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/HOPE_realcollege_National_report_digital.pdf) [5](5 Goldrick-Rab)[ Goldrick-Rab](5 Goldrick-Rab), [S](S). ([2021](2021))[. Students are humans first: advancing basic needs security in the wake of the COVID-19](. Students are humans first: advancing basic needs security in the wake of the COVID-19) pandemic. Journal of Postsecondary Student Success, 1(1), 3–17. [https://doi.org/10.33009/fsop_jpss129262](https://doi.org/10.33009/fsop_jpss129262) [6](6 Eisenberg)[ Eisen

FAQs

What does the report investigate about students in Fall 2020?

It examines data from 20,095 students who experienced one or more forms of basic needs insecurity and focuses on associated mental health challenges.

How common were basic needs insecurities among surveyed students?

More than half of students reported one or more basic need insecurities, with 50% of four-year students and 54% of two-year students experiencing such challenges.

How did the COVID-19 outbreak affect students with basic needs insecurities?

Respondents with BNI reported COVID-19 added to stress, anxiety, or depression, with 89% at two-year colleges and 92% at four-year institutions reporting increased levels.

Oct 15, 2026

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