SlugAid

SlugAid

Overview There are many on campus basic needs facilities here at UCSC, but unfortunately many of them are underutilized. People are confused as to what these facilities are, where they are, and what they have to offer. That ends today. This is an app that will allow these facilities to post the products that they offer, and a map leading people to easily find them. You’d be surprised how many people give up on food pantries simply because they are hard to find. Eric currently works at the Redwood Free Market, one of the on campus resources, and many people want to know if they have a certain product, and if not, when they will get it. This app allows users to do multiple things:

1. View the products at each facility (including photos that each side uploads)
2. Allow users to navigate to each facility using the app. This could be helpful if students have extra food or goods that they don’t need, but don’t want to waste, and need to find the closest location to donate it.
3. (still in production) Write questions or comments or recommendations about each facility, who should have a FAQ section that they can update. These comments should auto send an email to a facility. A common question Eric’s boss has to answer is which new products or programs should they introduce that are beneficial to students, and the best way to have that answered is to ask the students who use it.

Website Functions Breakdown About section - introduction and overview of what basic needs facilities are Who we are and our contact Home - Home page Google Maps Integration - Map of campus and all facilities, shows the user’s location relative to everything. Be able to click each location on the map to find more information Individual Pages - Each location should have a directory that shows the current inventory with pictures. About section for each location

Basic Needs Location: Redwood Free Market Cowell Coffee Shop Produce Pop-up ($) Terry-Freitas Cafe The Cove Center for Agroecology Farmstand ($) Womxn’s Center Food Pantry Ethnic Resource Centers Snack Pantry Lionel Cantu Queer Center Food Pantry

Relation to Sustainability and Social Good The Redwood Free Market alone received more than 11,000 visits last year alone, and is growing at a rapid rate. But still, there is leftover food which could go to students. This app would make the UCSC basic needs program super easy to navigate, helping people who were unaware of these resources. Additionally, it would save gas that would otherwise be used to make trips to Safeway or other grocery stores. It also provides a way for people with extra food to easily donate it instead of throwing it away. I am sure we are all guilty of throwing away goods we didn’t need simply because we couldn’t find a convenient way to donate them.

Built With

• firebase
• firestore
• google-maps
• material-ui
• nextjs
• react