Office of Child Care and Family Resources
Building access to affordable, high-quality child care for UW families

Family Resource Library

Welcome to the OCCFR Resource Library!

This Resource Library is designed to support UW–Madison student parents, caregivers, and families by connecting you with a wide range of campus and community resources. Whether you’re looking for help with housing, food, child care, academic support, or emergency assistance, this guide brings together trusted tools, programs, and services to help you navigate life and learning more confidently.

Browse by topic or use the subsections to find what’s most relevant to your needs. We’re here to help you thrive—at home, in the classroom, and beyond.

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Food Access During FoodShare Suspension

If you are a student who uses FoodShare (SNAP), please complete this 2-minute check-in survey to help the Basic Needs team at the Office of Student Financial Aid understand who is affected by benefit delays.

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Campus Food Resources

  • Open Seat provides students with access to nutritious and affordable food and hygiene products, including free produce, dairy, and canned goods. Located in the Student Activity Center at 333 East Campus Mall (3rd floor) and the Eagle Heights Community Center at 611 Eagle Heights Dr.
  • BadgerFARE provides immediate Wiscard funds for students facing temporary or ongoing food access concerns to purchase food on campus.
  • The Nutrition Access Program offers free frozen, pre-packaged, and microwaveable meals made with unserved food from campus dining locations.

You can explore additional campus food resources here.

Community Food Resources

  • The Neighborhood House Community Center Food Pantry is open three days a week and open to everyone! It is stocked weekly with fresh fruits and vegetables, staples like canned veggies and fruit, rice, noodles, boxed meals and soups, as well as eggs, meat, and dairy. No ID is required. All are welcome to stop in and shop our variety of fresh and non-perishable food.
  • The Keep Food Pantry offers access to nutritious food so members of the campus communities can focus their energies on their academic and career pursuits. The Keep Food Pantry is a ministry of Luther Memorial Church.
  • Bethel Food Pantry is a “choice” pantry allowing guests to select food items of their choice from a shopping list. Pre-registration is required to use the pantry. Call (608)257-3577 after 9:00 a.m. on the same day you plan to use the pantry.
  • Savory Sunday is a non-profit organization based out of Madison, WI that strives to prepare and serve freshly cooked meals to the hungry community every Sunday in the year (with the exception of Easter Sunday). Sunday meals are currently being served in the basement of the Capitol building.

  • The St. Mark’s Food Pantry works with Community Action Coalition (CAC) and Second Harvest Food Bank to provide staples to anyone in need of food that resides in Dane County. Participants are allowed to choose their own food based on food preferences and dietary needs.

  • The Catholic Multicultural Center Food Pantry is open to all Dane County residents who need food assistance. Each family can use the food pantry as often as once per week on a first-come, first-served basis. All who come during pantry hours will be served.
  • The River Food Pantry is South Central Wisconsin’s busiest food pantry. Services include free groceries and freshly prepared meals for pickup or delivery, online grocery orders, mobile meals, and emergency food lockers. The River also redistributes rescued food and resources to local partners to increase access while minimizing waste.
  • Fritz Food Pantry at Goodman Community Center believes everyone should have access to a variety of healthy, fresh foods, regardless of their income level, and are proud to provide this valuable service to anyone in our community who needs it. They provide a mix of fresh produce and dairy products, eggs, meat, cheese, and dry goods.

FoodShare/SNAP Updates

For updates about SNAP, please visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services FoodShare news page.

Housing & Utilities

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University and Local Housing

Tenant Rights & Support

  • Tenant Resource Center – Provides education, mediation, and legal resources to help tenants understand their rights and resolve housing issues
  • Fair Housing Council – Offers assistance with housing discrimination complaints and promotes equal access to housing through education and advocacy

Transitional or Specialized Housing

  • The Elizabeth House – A maternity home for pregnant women or those who have just given birth, providing a safe and secure environment where new mothers can bcome emotionally healthy and self-sufficient
  • ARC Community Services, Inc – Organization dedicated to helping and empowering women and improving their welfare, along with that of their children and families

Utility Assistance

Food, Clothing, & Basic Needs

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Food Programs & Pantries

  • The Open Seat – A free campus food pantry for UW-Madison students facing food insecurity
  • Badger Fare Program – Offers short-term meal assistance through donated dining dollars to students in need
  • FoodShare Wisconsin (ACCESS) – A state program that helps eligible individuals and families purchase food through an EBT card
  • The Keep Food Pantry – A local pantry providing free groceries and hygiene products to those in need near campus
  • Find Food Pantries Near You – A searchable map of food pantries and meal programs available throughout Dane County
  • Slow Food UW – A student-run organization offering affordable, locally sourced meals on campus
  • Summer Food Program (MMSD) – Offers free, nutritious meals to children and teens 18 and under at various community sites during the summer months
  • Campus & Community Food Resources – A roundup of food access points on and near campus, including The Open Seat and meal programs
  • Double Dollars Program – Matches SNAP/EBT dollars spent at participating farmers’ markets to help families buy fresh produce
  • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) – A federal nutrition program that provides healthy food, breastfeeding support, and health referrals to pregnant individuals, new parents, and young children

Material Goods & Financial Help

  • St. Vincent de Paul Clothing Vouchers – Receive vouchers up to $50 in value to purchase clothing at St. Vincent de Paul
  • Basic Needs Request (UW Students) – Fill out a form to receive basic needs materials such as hygiene products, clothing, or food
  • UW Basic Needs Resources – A library of basic needs resources for the UW community
  • TAA Diaper Program – Diaper bank that receives diapers through the Village Diaper Bank for members of the Teaching Assistants Association at UW-Madison
  • Village Diaper Bank – Diaper bank that partners with local social service agencies to provide diapers to families in need
  • Lifeline – Federal program providing discounted phone and internet service for low-income households
  • Babies & Beyond Sharing Center – Offering free baby items including diapers, bottles, clothing, and more for children ages 0-4 to families in need

Safety Resources

  • UW-Madison Campus Alerts – Official news outlet for UW-Madison communications about campus emergencies and other situations that impact campus operations. Sign up for WiscAlerts, UW-Madison’s emergency notification system, to receive texts and emails when there are campus emergencies
  • BadgerSAFE – A safety app for students, staff, parents and community members that delivers safety info directly to your phone and provides resources such as Friend Walk, the “I’m OK” feature, safety alerts, and more campus safety resources

Transportation

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Campus Transportation

Safety & Accessibility

Navigation Resources

  • UW Campus Map – Find public parking, Madison B-Cycle stations, bus stops, and more on the UW-Madison campus
  • Metro Transit Bus Tracker – View Madison Metro (city) buses in real time and avoid missing your bus

Health & Wellness

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Medical Insurance & Services

  • Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) – Health insurance for domestic students, international students, and international scholars at UW-Madison
  • University Health Services (UHS) Gynecology – Services including contraception, pregnancy counseling/referrals, and abortion follow-up
  • BadgerCare Plus – State healthcare program that provides health coverage for low-income Wisconsin residents
  • Covering Wisconsin – UW-Extension program helping connect Wisconsin residents with health insurance and other health support programs
  • Immunizations – Dane County Public Health vaccination information and resources for adults, children and infants
  • Sexual Health – Dane County Public Health sexual health information and resources including birth control, pregnancy testing, and sexual health testing and treatment
  • Wisconsin Well Woman Program – Dane County Public Health program for low-income women with limited or no health insurance, offering breast and cervical cancer screenings

Campus Health & Fitness

General Wellness Resources

Pregnancy, Breastfeeding & Parent Health

Mental Health

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Campus-Based Counseling

  • UHS Mental Health Services – Including crisis support, psychiatric services, survivor services, individual counseling, group counseling, and help navigating off-campus care
  • UHS Couple/Partner Counseling – Couples counseling for UW-Madison students (only one partner must be a student to use this service)
  • Badger Recovery – Support and connections for students in recovery from alcohol use, cannabis use, gaming addaction, eating concerns, and other addictive behaviors

Off-Campus Therapy & Support

Parent & Family Support

Parent Education

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Workshops & Classes

Recommended Books, Podcasts, and Short Videos

  • Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health (Wi-AIMH) Micro-Learning Videos – Series of short videos covering parenting topics
  • SPARKS – Video series that walks parents through each routine recommended doctor’s visit for infants and children
  • Books:
    • How to Talk So Kids Will Listen – Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
    • The Explosive Child – Ross W. Greene
    • The Whole-Brain Child – Daniel J Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson
    • Good Inside – Becky Kennedy

Child Development & Special Needs

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Developmental Services

  • Birth to Three (Dane County) – An early intervention program for infants and toddlers (0-36 months) who present a delay in their development or have a disability or condition affecting their development
  • Children’s Resource Center South – Resource center serving children and youth with special health care needs and their families
  • Understood – Nonprofit organization providing education about and resources for people with thinking and learning disabilities
  • Vroom – Infant development education, tips and tools to teach families how to support infant development in everyday interactions
  • Parent to Parent of Wisconsin – Support service connecting parents of children with special needs to a wider community
  • Dane County Disability Services – Programs and services for Dane County residents with disabilities

Education & Equipment

  • MMSD Special Education – Information and contacts for the Madison Metropolitan School District Special Education programming
  • Special Education Resources – Special education and disability resources from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
  • Kindred Kids – Adaptive equipment lending library for children with disabilities

Aging & Long Term Services

  • Aging and Disability Resource Center – Organization providing information about resources and support for all aspects of life related to aging or living with a disability
  • WI-DHS Aging Services – Programs and services provided through the Department of Health Services for older adults

Early Learning & Play

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At-Home Activities and Ideas

Community Activities and Play Groups

  • Play and Learn – A fun, interactive, free program for children 0-3 years and their caregivers who reside in the Madison Metropolitan School District
  • True Play at Neighborhood House – A free, drop-in program at Neighborhood House aiming to support learning, growth, & development
  • Madison Public Library Storytime – Madison Public Libraries offer storytimes for babies and young children at all branches across Madison. Children can listen, talk, sing, read, write, and play with other kids their age through programming designed to support early literacy skill-building

Literacy & Toy Resources

  • Madison Reading Project – Connects the Madison community with free books and literacy resources to inspire a love for reading in young readers
  • Good Toys by Age – Descriptions and recommendations for age-appropriate toys for children, created by NAEYC
  • Recommended Book List by Age – Lists of recommended books sorted by age, created by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center in the School of Education at UW-Madison

Learning Platforms

  • PBS Kids – Activities and online educational games and videos for children
  • ABCya – Educational online games by grade level
  • ABC Mouse – Online educational program designed for children ages 2-8, offering a comprehensive curriculum for preschool through 2nd grade
  • Adventure Academy – Online educational program by the creators of ABC Mouse, designed for children ages 8-13
  • STEMIE – Resources and information about STEM learning for young children

Campus & Academic Support

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Academic Advising & Learning Support

Academic Resources & Libraries

Career & Technology Services

Student Assistance & Advocacy

Community & Identity-Based Resources

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Parenting & Nontraditional Students

Cultural & International Communities

  • International Student Services – Resources and support for international students at UW-Madison
  • Multicultural Student Center – Provides support, advocacy, and co-curricular experiences that center, affirm and celebrate the varied and intersectional experiences of all UW-Madison students
  • First-Generation Badgers – Program enhancing coordination and programmatic support among campus offices, offers opportunities for connection, and informs development of services for current and future first-generation students

Gender, Sexuality, & Identity

Transfer Students

Veteran Services

  • University Veteran Services – Provides support and resources to military-connected students by fostering personal transitions and pursuit of academic success

Reporting, Rights, & Legal Aid

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Accommodations

Reporting & Legal

  • UW Office of Compliance – Information about the University of Wisconsin System policies and procedures related to discrimination, harassment and retaliation, and sexual harassment and violence
  • OSAS – Report harassment, discrimination, or bias at UW-Madison
  • OSAS – Report sexual misconduct at UW-Madison
  • UHS Survivor Services – Provides free and confidential support services to UW-Madison student survivors of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and/or stalking
  • Restraining Order & Survivor Advocacy Clinic (ROSA) – UW law students provide direct legal services to survivors of intimate partner violence in Dane, Jefferson, Rock, Sauk, and other surrounding counties
  • Wisconsin DCF – File a Child Care Complaint
  • Family Court Clinic (FCC) – UW law students provide legal information, forms, and guidance to unrepresented litigants under the supervision of experienced clinical faculty
  • International Student Services – Finding an Immigration Attorney

Emergency Support

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Emergency Financial Assistance

Emergency Child & Family Support

City & Community Crisis Resources

  • City of Madison Emergency Assistance – Emergency assistance with energy, housing, child care, FoodShare, healthcare, counseling, and financial education
  • Domestic Abuse Intervention Services – Comprehensive services for domestic abuse survivors
  • UW Police Department – For emergencies, call 911. UWPD provides the services of a traditional police department (emergency response and community outreach) as well as safety education, campus community resource officers, a therapy dog program, lake rescue & safety, video and infrastructure security, investigative services, field services, and more