Bulldog Basic Needs Alliance (BBNA)
Email [email protected]
Honoring Our Roots, Expanding Our Reach
Ferris State University’s commitment to student well-being began with the Bulldog Basic Needs Alliance (BBNA), a dedicated cross-campus and community coalition that provided confidential and rapid support for Bulldogs facing food and housing insecurity. With core values centered on being human-centered, responsive within 48 hours, minimizing barriers, promoting equity, and connecting students with long-term resources, BBNA set a strong foundation for student support.
While BBNA focused on emergency aid—such as meal swipes, temporary housing, and pantry support, it also ensured students accessed counseling, childcare assistance, benefits navigation, and more. As Bulldogs’ needs have evolved, so has our response.
Today, Ferris Cares builds upon the legacy of BBNA, expanding into a comprehensive and holistic approach to addressing basic needs and student well-being. With “Bulldogs Take Care of Bulldogs” at its core, Ferris Cares offers:
- Emergency aid, honoring BBNA’s quick-response mission
- Ongoing support, including food access, housing stability, transportation assistance, and mental health guidance
- Expanded collaboration—connecting students with campus and community resources, including the Care Team, benefits programs, and equity initiatives
Ferris Cares doesn’t replace BBNA—it honors its origins. We continue to operate with the same confidentiality, speed, and student-centered care that defined BBNA, now amplified through a broader network designed to meet the full spectrum of challenges our Bulldogs may face.
About the BBNA (Video)
Bulldog Basic Needs Alliance Mission
Ferris State University is committed to the academic and personal success of our students and understand that basic needs have a direct impact on the well-being and success of our students. The Bulldog Basic Needs Alliance provides emergency assistance to current students facing food or housing insecurity which would otherwise jeopardize their ability to stay in school.
Bulldog Basic Needs Alliance Vision Statement
The Bulldog Basic Needs Alliance WILL:
- Be human centered. Remembering that students are humans first, all outreach, communications, paperwork, and processes will be handled with extreme confidentiality and sensitivity.
- Act quickly. Emergency aid needs to be delivered fast to be meaningful for students. We will aim for no more than a 48-hour turnaround from application to distribution.
- Minimize barriers. Unnecessary hurdles harm students and we will work to eliminate this concern by ensuring the eligibility criteria are clear and as easy to meet as possible.
- Reach for equity. In reviewing cases and making determinations, we will consider if the student has access to other grant resources (perhaps based on academic merit) and help them pursue those instead, saving the emergency fund for students lacking similar advantages.
- Emphasize community awareness. By advertising widely and creating a physical presence on campus, we will ensure that all students are aware that there is confidential emergency assistance available to them.
- Provide additional resources. We understand that financial assistance is important but should not be given alone. Students who receive assistance from the Alliance will also be provided with additional information and resources in areas such as food, housing, benefits access, childcare, FEMA or other emergency relief programs and counseling.
Contact the BBNA at [email protected]
Apply for:
To Donate to the Bulldog Basic Needs Alliance visit our Mobile Cause site:
You can also give by texting BBNA to 41444.
You can also purchase items for the BBNA's Amazon Wish List