WHY SPARKPOINT

The need is clear. Findings from The Hope Center’s #RealCollege Survey in 2019 in 2019 revealed the many challenges and barriers community college students are facing in California: 60% of respondents were housing insecure in the previous year;19% were homeless; and 50% were food insecure in the prior 30 days. These challenges, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, disproportionately impact low-income students, students of color, and first-generation students.
 
UWBA’s SparkPoint centers have been operating since 2009 in eight San Francisco Bay Area counties. SparkPoint at postsecondary institutions offer vital resources (including food pantries, financial coaching, access to public benefits, and housing resources) that encourage students to stay in school so they can be successful and fully engage in college programs.
 

The SparkPoint Toolkit is intended for postsecondary institutions to discover, plan, and build out a SparkPoint center that supports students, their families, and/or community members as they seek financial prosperity.