ASUM Bear Necessities
About Us
ASUM Bear Necessities is the 猎奇重口's dedicated basic needs support office for students. Our team can help students creatively problem-solve housing issues, develop budgets that make ends meet, and generally make sure needs are being met outside of the classroom!
-
We are an agency on campus that helps students who are struggling to make ends meet, who have questions about how to get over a financial road bump, or who are curious about programs like SNAP or Medicaid. We provide education surrounding basic need insecurity through our resource library and events.
-
Good news! Even if you aren't 100% sure how to address what's going on, there is NO WRONG WAY to get help. If our team doesn't have the exact right resources to help address your concerns, we are more than happy to help you get connected to the right folks. Bear Necessities staff have connections with other student support offices all over campus!
-
We can help students access resources to help meet their needs (food, housing, etc.). We can help connect students with relevant campus or community resources to aid with their struggles with basic needs. Our team can also help students creatively problem solve to overcome their struggles related to basic needs.
-
Bear Necessities offers some emergency funding for students experiencing unexpected financial hardship! To learn more about eligibility and apply for funding, set up an appointment with any member of our team. Please note that emergency funds are limited, and only available during the academic year.
-
Schedule an appointment with a member of our team via Navigate!
.Appointments can also be made via email – please reach out to kat.cowley@mso.umt.edu. Appointments can be in person or virtual.
Emergency Funding for Students
ASUM Hardship Fund
PLEASE NOTE - AS OF MARCH 3, 2026 THE HARDSHIP FUND IS NOT ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. PLEASE SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH ANY MEMBER OF OUR TEAM TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES.
The Hardship Fund is intended to support students experiencing emergency financial strain that is limiting their academic success or progress in their degree path. Our office also hosts the SARC Emergency Fund in partnership with the Student Advocacy Resource Center, and the Indigenous Students Fund in partnership with the coalition for Indigenous STEM. All three funds are available during the academic term only.
Faculty and Students Together Fund
The Faculty and Students Together (FAST) Fund is managed by a committee in partnership with the University Faculty Association.
Request for a Bear Necessities Team Member to Come to You!
The ASUM Bear Necessities team consists of three case management staff members with a variety of expertise and experience. One of our passions is engaging with students, providing education on the resources available to them, and encouraging them to be advocates for basic needs insecurity at the 猎奇重口.
If you are a UM student, staff or faculty member and would like to request someone from Bear Necessities to come speak with your club, office, or class, please fill out this form and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Topics we can present on include:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for college students
- Basic needs efforts at the 猎奇重口 and how to get involved
- ASUM Bear Necessities and the UM Food Pantry offerings and/or impact
- Basic needs resources available on- and off-campus
- How to support students living through or on the edge of basic needs insecurity and connect them to Bear Necessities
- Other topics as requested that align with our scope of practice
Due to our capacity as a small team, spots are limited to about two presentations per team member each month. If we cannot accommodate your request, we will reach out to offer other potential dates for the following month.
If you have any questions, or would like further information, email Lucy.Hicks@mso.umt.edu.
Please note that this link is NOT intended for scheduling appointments. To schedule an appointment with our case management team please find us in Navigate under 'Hardships'.