The Economic Crisis Response Team (ECRT) is a multidisciplinary, interdependent network of campus partners dedicated to providing holistic support to students experiencing financial distress.
Our mission is to respond to student financial crises with urgency, compassion, and accountability. By working collaboratively across departments, we ensure that students receive seamless, individualized support—connecting them to the resources they need to overcome immediate challenges and achieve long-term stability and success.
ECRT RESOURCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES:
- Emergency Short-Term Loans
- Emergency and Basic Needs Grants
- Emergency Meal Program
- Holistic Support and Financial Crisis Case Management
- Emergency Housing
- ECRT Emergency Housing provides temporary, immediate housing for students at risk of homelessness or facing unsafe and unstable living conditions. This program is designed to ensure that students who are experiencing crises such as eviction, unsafe housing situations, domestic violence, or other factors that threaten their ability to maintain stable housing can access a safe, supportive environment while they work to secure long-term housing solutions.
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Eligibility Criteria
To determine eligibility, students need to have completed ECRT Self – Assessment Intake form and meet the following criteria:
Emergency Housing is coordinated in collaboration with Housing. Student must meet ALL Housing and School Code of Conduct Requirements
Must be an enrolled and registered student at the University of California, Los Angeles; in current or future term, (if not currently enrolled and registered, student must have been registered in the prior term).
Report an urgent need for shelter (i.e. safety, homelessness, couch surfing, hazardous living environment
Have no holds preventing access to university owned housing or campus access.
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Students in need of Emergency Housing should submit a request to ecr@saonet.ucla.edu
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT:
Be Well Bruin: Health & Wellbeing and Campus Resource Directory
NOTICES:
- The EMERGENCY MEAL PROGRAM for SUMMER 2026 is now OPEN!
- SUMMER 2026 is considered ONE TERM regardless of session enrollment. Summer enrollment (A, C, A/C or B) can only be provided meals one time during the term.
- ONLY ASUCLA MEAL TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE DURING SUMMER 2026.
- Please be advised, ASUCLA meal tickets require pick-up. If approved, instructions for pick-up will be emailed to you.
- ASUCLA ticket processing time is between 2-3 business days.
- SWIPES issued in SPRING 2026 term expired on Thursday June 11, 2026 after the dinner meal period. If a student does not use at least 1 of the meals issued for SPRING 2026, student will be disqualified form meals for SUMMER 2026 if eligibility remains.
HOW TO REQUEST SUPPORT:
Unexpected Food Insecurity: If you are a registered UCLA student experiencing unexpected crisis and food insecurity and need temporary food support resources.
Unexpected Financial Crisis & Holistic Support: If you are a registered UCLA student experiencing a financial crisis, facing gaps in resources, or have exhausted your financial aid.
Have questions before submitting a request? Connect with one of student ECRT Student Support Ambassadors during ECRT Student Support Lounge Hours on Zoom:
Summer 2026 Hours: Effective June 22, 2026
- Mondays: 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
- Wednesdays: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND CONSIDERATION BEFORE SUBMITTING A REQUEST:
- We understand that navigating financial challenges can feel overwhelming, and we’re here to help.
- All ECRT referrals are reviewed in partnership with the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office.
- If you haven’t yet explored all of your financial aid options (including loans), you may not be eligible for ECRT grant or meal support.
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To help us respond quickly and connect you with the right resources, please contact the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office before submitting an ECRT form.
Emergency Meal Program (EMP):
IMPORTANT INFORMATION - PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING APPLICATION
- The Emergency Meal Program Request Form for SUMMER 2026 is OPEN!
- SUMMER 2026 is considered ONE TERM regardless of session enrollment. Summer enrollment (A, C, A/C or B) can only be provided meals one time during the term.
- ONLY ASUCLA Meal Tickets are available for SUMMER 2026.
- Swipes for SPRING 2026 expired on Thursday June 11, 2026 after the dinner meal period. Meals do not roll over to the following term.
- Due to limited supply, exchanges are not possible.
- Students who do not use at least 1 meal from SPRING 2026 swipes assigned OR do not pick-up their ASUCLA meals issued for SPRING 2026 are automatically disqualified and not eligible for meals in SUMMER 2026.
- A BruinCard is required to redeem electronic meal swipes. If you do not have a BruinCard, please obtain one before applying. Visit the BruinCard website to learn more.
- Electronic Meal Swipes (loaded onto your BruinCard) may be redeemed at any UCLA Dining facility located on The Hill during any meal period — except food trucks and EPIC at Ackerman. See UCLA Dining Hours for current schedules.
- To verify available meals on your BruinCard, please visit the Meal Tracking Portal.
ABOUT THE EMERGENCY MEAL PROGRAM (EMP):
Supports UCLA students experiencing food insecurity and lacking access to regular, nutritious meals. ECRT provides two types of emergency meal support—dining swipes or ASUCLA meal vouchers—based on availability.
All meal swipes are made possible through a limited pool of student donations organized by UCLA Swipe Out Hunger. ASUCLA meal vouchers are made possible through the UCLA Basic Needs Committee and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.
As with other ECRT resources, the Emergency Meal Program is designed as a short-term support and should not be used as an alternative to other available resources.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Be an enrolled and registered UCLA student for the current term
- Indicate food insecurity and lack of regular access to sufficient nourishment
- Not have an alternative meal source (e.g., dining hall meal plan) or unused financial aid options
- (Students living on the Hill with a meal plan are not eligible.)
Program Limits:
- FAFSA-eligible students: up to 7 meals per quarter, for a maximum of 3 quarters
- Students not eligible for federal financial aid: up to 14 meals per quarter, for a maximum of 3 quarters (after participating in the Emergency Meal Program for three quarters, students are encouraged to complete the ECRT Self-Assessment Form for a comprehensive review of their ongoing needs and to explore available long-term support resources).
- Students who do do not use at least one of the electronic meals swipes assigned for a term OR who do not pick-up issued ASUCLA meal tickets for a term are automatically disqualified (if eligibility remains) for the following term.
To submit a request please complete the Emergency Meal Program (EMP) Request Form.
OUR PARTNERS:
- Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
- UCLA Swipe Out Hunger To learn more about Swipe Out Hunger's basic needs advocacy or how to get involved, please visit @uclaswipeouthunger on Instagram or at Swipe Out Hunger at UCLA.
- UCLA Basic Needs Committee
- Financial Aid & Scholarships Office
- UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION (USAC), USAC IVP, USAC SWC, USAC ISR, USAC CSC, USAC FSC
- ECRT MEMBERSHIP NETWORK:
