The City of Pittsburgh is requesting volunteers for its snow removal assistance program. The Department of Public Works will match seniors and residents with disabilities to neighbors who will help salt and shovel their sidewalks.
The city aims to recruit between 10 and 40 volunteers from each neighborhood for its Snow Angel program. Participants will be assigned to residents who live no more than a 10-minute walk away.
In many neighborhoods, the program lacked a sufficient number of volunteers to meet last winter’s demand. In Brookline, for instance, the city could only fulfill 10 of the 60 requests for help.
The city also saw more than a dozen requests for snow removal assistance in Manchester and Elliot but was not able to complete any requests due to the lack of volunteers.
According to the city code, homeowners or landlords, depending on the rental agreement, are legally responsible for shoveling the sidewalk after any snowfall. The Snow Angel program asks that volunteers help out their assigned neighbor within 24 hours of the end of a snow event.
Those requesting assistance are expected to have a snow shovel and salt available for their Snow Angel. Residents must also be at least 60 years old or have a physical disability and live within city limits to request help.
The city is with community-based organizations, youth sports leagues, faith-based groups and employers to recruit volunteers in several communities. Volunteers are especially needed in the following communities:
- Beechview
- Brighton Heights
- Brookline
- Carrick
- East Liberty
- Elliott
- Greenfield
- Hill District
- Homewood
- Manchester
- Marshall-Shadeland
- Mount Washington
- Perry South
- Sheraden
- Stanton Heights
City officials say Snow Angels make a difference not only for their neighbors but for mail carriers and firefighters, too — any worker out on the sidewalks no matter the weather.
Interested volunteers can sign up on the city’s website. Residents seeking snow removal assistance can also register online or by calling 311.
