Personal Support Services

Depending on program rules and available funds, SEAG may help with emergency needs such as:

• Food

• Housing-related emergency, or utility bills

• Transportation

• Childcare, or health-related needs

• Technology

SEAG is for non-tuition emergency needs. It does not pay college tuition. These examples do not mean every expense is covered. Staff review your request and explain whether SEAG or another resource may be an option.

Start by contacting the Basic Needs Navigator if you are unsure what to request. You can also use the SEAG request form below. The form requires you to log in with your ClipperID.

Explain the emergency, the help you need, and how it affects your ability to attend classes. Follow any requests for additional information and check your SPSCC email for updates. The amount and type of assistance depend on your needs, program requirements, and the funds available. Applying does not guarantee an award.

You can request an appointment in Navigate360.

If you are meeting with the Basic Needs Navigator about emergency assistance, complete the Student Emergency Assistance Grant Application before your appointment. The application lets you explain your situation and tell us what help you need.

The Basic Needs Navigator reviews your application to understand your needs and prepare possible resources before you meet. If you need help completing the application, contact us before your appointment.

The application and appointment are two separate steps. You can schedule your meeting first and then complete the application, or complete the application first and then request a meeting. Either way, please complete the application before your scheduled appointment.

Submitting the application does not schedule or guarantee a meeting. Schedule an appointment separately through Navigate, or email basicneeds@spscc.edu for scheduling help. Confirm your meeting date and time. Submitting an application or attending a meeting does not guarantee financial assistance.

Experiencing homelessness means you do not have a reliable, regular, and suitable place to sleep at night. You do not have to be sleeping outside to ask about help. Depending on your situation, this may include:

• Sleeping in a car, outdoors, or in a place not meant for people to live.

• Staying in an emergency shelter.

• Moving between friends’ or relatives’ homes because you lost your housing and have no steady place to stay.

• Staying in a hotel or motel because you have no other housing option.

Temporarily sharing someone’s home is different from choosing to live with family or roommates in a stable arrangement. Staff will talk with you about your situation rather than deciding based only on where you are staying.

If you may lose your housing soon—for example, you have received an eviction notice—contact us before you lose your place to stay. Students who were in foster care when they finished high school should also ask about SSEH support. Staff will review which services may be available to you.

To be considered for the four SSEH housing assistance options listed below, you must meet with the Director of Student Housing and Personal Support Services at a scheduled appointment. A meeting helps us understand your needs, review program requirements, and discuss possible next steps.

You can request an appointment in any of these ways:

• Ask the Basic Needs Navigator for a meeting. They can refer you to the Housing Director if needed.

In-person meetings are preferred. If you cannot meet in person, tell us when you schedule. We can discuss another meeting format or an accommodation. You do not need to include your full personal history in your scheduling email; briefly say that you would like to discuss housing support.

Move-In Assistance

If you are moving from homelessness into more stable housing, SSEH may help with approved move-in costs. This is limited support toward getting into housing, not a promise to pay all move-in costs or future rent. At your meeting, we will discuss the housing you plan to move into, the amount needed, and how you plan to cover costs that the program does not pay.

Eviction Prevention

If you are at immediate risk of losing your housing, SSEH may help with approved costs to prevent that loss. Tell staff about any notices, amount owed, and payment deadlines. Assistance may cover only part of the balance. We will discuss how you plan to cover any remaining amount and keep paying for housing afterward. A request does not stop an eviction deadline or guarantee payment.

Short-Term Emergency Housing

A temporary housing placement may be available while you work toward a more stable place to live. Space is limited, and there may be a waiting list. This is not permanent housing. If approved, staff will explain your move-in and move-out dates, housing rules, required paperwork, and any follow-up meetings before you accept.

Hotel Stays

A limited hotel stay may be considered when you are experiencing a housing crisis and an appropriate option is available. Hotel support requires program approval and depends on funds and room availability. If approved, staff will explain the number of nights, hotel rules, and your next steps. Do not book a stay expecting SPSCC to pay unless staff have confirmed the arrangement.

All four options depend on available funds, the service or space available, your needs, and program requirements. We may not be able to provide the option you request. A meeting, referral, application, or waiting-list placement does not guarantee assistance.

Some types of support may be limited to once per year. Receiving help before does not guarantee another award. Staff will explain which limits apply to your request and whether other resources may be available.

Some services have waiting lists. Being on a waiting list means you are waiting for a possible opening; it is not a confirmed housing or hotel reservation. Timing can vary, and assistance may not be available by the date you need it.

You may need to provide information about your housing situation, costs, and deadlines or complete program documents. Certain services may also require you to follow housing rules, attend follow-up meetings, or work with staff on a plan for more stable housing. Staff will explain the requirements before you accept support.

Assistance may cover only part of your costs. You are responsible for costs not included in your approved support. If you need a place to stay right away, tell staff and ask about community options while your request is reviewed.

The SPSCC Food Pantry offers food and other essential items to students. Visit the Food Pantry page for current details. If you need access to showers, laundry, storage, or technology, ask the Personal Support Center about available options and how to use them.

Foundation Grants are separate from SEAG and SSEH. They may help with certain emergency expenses or school-related needs. Visit the Scholarships and Grants page for current rules, application instructions, and review timelines. Ask staff which program fits your situation; applying to one program does not automatically apply you to the others.

Explore childcare and family resources, mental health counseling, or Disability and Access Services. The Personal Support Center can help you connect with the right office. Each office will explain its services and how to get started.

Students may need different shelter options depending on their age, household, safety needs, and other circumstances. Ask about local providers such as Rosie’s Place, Drexel House, Interfaith Works, SafePlace, and Pear Blossom Place. These are community services, not SPSCC housing. A referral does not reserve a bed.

If you cannot wait for an SPSCC appointment, use the provider links below to find current contact details and ask about access to shelter. Staff can help you look for other options during college service hours.

Rosie’s Place and Young Adult Shelter: https://communityyouthservices.org/programs/rosies-placeyoung-adult-shelter/

Drexel House: https://hatc.org/collaborative-housing/drexel-house/

Interfaith Works Supportive Shelter: https://www.interfaith-works.org/supportive-shelter

SafePlace: https://www.safeplaceolympia.org/

Pear Blossom Place: https://fscss.org/pear-blossom-place/