Our Mission​
Manos de Mapaches is an organization founded and operated by students at the University of California, Santa Barbara who want to do anything we can to give back to our community during these difficult times. As members of the demographic with the least risk for severe COVID-19 reactions, we believe it is only right to use our health privilege to bring groceries and supplies to those in high-risk demographics. Our focus is most prominently on the elderly, disabled, and immunocompromised, but we are available to help anyone in need through our grocery delivery and Community Connections programs!
We are called Manos de Mapaches because we hope to embody the spirit of the noble mapache (Spanish for raccoon) through our service to the community. After all, raccoons are incredibly adaptable, they naturally prefer to socially distance, and they are found in bountiful numbers in Isla Vista as well as throughout the Santa Barbara area. Lastly, the name Manos de Mapaches reminds us about the goal we are seeking to achieve with our organization: safely serving the Santa Barbara area, one hand (mano in Spanish) at a time. We are incredibly thankful to be able to connect every member of our community together during these times of isolation!
Our Process
Here’s how you can get some help from Manos de Mapaches:
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1) Fill out the Service Request Form.
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2) Wait to be contacted by a volunteer in your area who will process your request and discuss the best course of action from there, whether that be filling out a form for Grocery Delivery, Community Connections, or figuring out how we can best help you!
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3) After filling out a Grocery Delivery or Community Connections form, you will then again be contacted by a volunteer regarding your request and, depending on your requested service, will either go over your Grocery Delivery order with you or connect you with one of our Community Connections volunteers. Reminder, our services are not either or, so if you are interested in a Grocery Delivery and signing up for Community Connections, please let us know!
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4) For Grocery Deliveries, next we will coordinate your grocery payment in one of three ways:
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Call the store in advance to place your order, and pay with your credit card over the phone. Be sure to let them know someone else will be picking it up on your behalf! (This is our most preferred method!);
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Provide your volunteer with cash before they complete the order;
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In certain cases we will allow you to reimburse volunteers after they return with your groceries through a payment app such as Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, etc. This option is available on a case by case basis and is not our preferred method of payment unless the other options are not possible or will put a serious burden upon you.
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5) Listen for a knock on the door, a doorbell ring, or a phone call as your volunteer drops off your food and steps at least 6 feet away from your door! Your receipt will be in the bag and that will be that!
Our Safety Measures
We completely understand the importance of being clean and safe during these times in order to keep as many people as healthy as possible. After all, that's why we started this organization!
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With this in mind, it is very important to us that we follow strict safety guidelines such as those provided by the Center for Disease Control. That means we are requiring all of our shopping and delivery volunteers to:
- Wear face masks at all times during grocery shopping and deliveries.
- Have not been out of the country in the last 30 days.
- Have not come in contact with a sick person in the past 14 days.
- Be currently in good health and not exhibiting any signs of compromised health.
- Have no health conditions that would increase vulnerability to the coronavirus.
- Have been PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING.
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Not every COVID-19 carrier is symptomatic so it is impossible to completely eliminate risk, but by taking these precautions we can minimize any potential transmission of the novel coronavirus.
