Charles R. Drew University, Office of Student Life and Belonging Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) is a private, non-profit institution dedicated to cultivating diverse health professional leaders. Located in the Watts-Willowbrook neighborhood of South Los Angeles, CDU was founded in the wake of the Watts Uprising to address the systemic lack of quality medical care in underserved communities. As a designated Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) and a Historically Black Graduate Institution (HGBI), the campus community at CDU is deeply reflective of the diverse urban landscape of Los Angeles. Serving an approximate enrollment of just over 1,000 students across undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, CDU is guided by an unwavering mission and a deep commitment to social justice and health equity. Aligning with CDU’s mission, the Office of Student Life and Belonging (OSLB) works to bring forth the next generation of healthcare leaders dedicated to eliminating health disparities in marginalized populations. The OSLB at CDU believes that student success requires strengthening student well-being beyond the classroom, recognizing that when basic human needs are unmet, academic excellence can feel impossible. Many of our students are first-generation students, working parents, or adults balancing a full-time job alongside their clinical hours. Oftentimes, the stress of medical and clinical training is compounded by the real-life weight of how to pay rent and buy groceries. To mitigate the socio-economic challenges, OSLB intentionally provides a Basic Needs Support Hub that offers access to food, clothing, and essential hygiene products. By meeting students where they are and helping to reduce financial barriers, OSLB seeks to create an environment where students can focus on their academic and clinical success rather than the stress of unmet basic needs. Central to these efforts is the partnership with local resources and collaborators. The Student LunchBox is an invaluable partner in OSLB’s campus food access programming. By supplying both the weekly Produce Giveaways with fresh vegetables and fruits and the Food Pantry with canned goods and clothing, this strategic partnership allows students to drop in weekly to pick up staple items completely free of charge. By destigmatizing the act of seeking assistance, these spaces integrate organically into the weekly student routine. Additionally, the basic needs infrastructure at CDU also provides a set of interconnected resources, including the Benevolence and Emergency Aid program, where eligible students can receive financial assistance to help cover immediate educational and living expenses. Students facing housing instability or rising transportation costs have access to housing assistance through resource referrals and emergency prevention support. To promote overall well-being, the university offers mental health counseling, stress management workshops, and dedicated wellness programming to help students build resilience throughout their academic journey. Together, these efforts reflect CDU’s holistic approach to student success, recognizing that advancing health equity begins with ensuring that future healthcare leaders have the resources, support, and sense of belonging they need to thrive.