When I used to live in S.C. we would go to Hunting Island every summer and rent a house and there were many racoons around. They would come up to the screened in porch and we would hand feed them. One time there was a mother with her babies. I wasn't ever afraid of them. We were told to never leave any food on the porch because if we did they'd rip through the screen to get to it. They'd also try to get into the garbage cans.