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Denver metro cities seeking ‘snow angels’ to help neighbors clear snow

By January 9, 2026 | updated 1 day ago

Jason Schneider shovels snow in 2023 as a volunteer with Aurora's Snow Busters program, which pairs volunteers with people who need assistance shoveling snow. (Courtesy photo, City of Aurora)

Cities throughout the metro Denver area seek volunteers to help residents who are unable to shovel snow as the area saw another snow storm Friday.

Volunteer snow shoveling programs come with different names in various cities — “Snow Busters” in Aurora, “Snow Angels” in Denver, “Snow Buddies” in Arvada, “Snow Guardians” in Commerce City — but the goal for each of them is the same: bringing together community members to help each other when snow eventually blankets the metro area.

The program is intended to match able-bodied residents with residents who may have trouble shoveling snow, including those who are ages 55 and older or have a physical disability or medical condition in most jurisdictions.

Bre Mangione has been volunteering with Aurora’s Snow Busters program for the last three years and said it’s an easy but fulfilling way to give back to her community.

Mangione lives in the Aurora house her grandmother lived in, she said, and when she shovels snow for the elderly couple she volunteers for, it reminds her of her grandmother.

“When I heard about Snow Busters, it brought me back to her,” Mangione said. “She lost one of her limbs and couldn’t really do things for herself … if myself or another family member wasn’t able to help her do things like shovel snow, I would have liked to know that someone was there helping her.”

Mangione’s community has a lot of people who need assistance for shoveling snow, so she took on two houses through the volunteer program. She has shoveled for the same two households for the three years she has volunteered, and over the years has developed what she called a “seasonal friendship” with them.

“It’s just nice to know that there are still communities that offer this,” Mangione said. “It’s nice knowing that Aurora is trying to make sure the community is a viable place for everyone to live.”

Anthony Bolton, the volunteer program’s director, said Snow Busters has been “really great” for Aurora, bringing community members together to help one another and developing relationships between them.

Still, the number of applicants “far outweighs” the number of volunteers, Bolton said.

Currently, Aurora has about 130 people looking for volunteers and has successfully paired 40 people with volunteers.

Bolton encouraged able-bodied people to sign up for the program, and said people who need help with shoveling should not be discouraged by the need for volunteers.

“People should be applying for the service and to be volunteers,” Bolton said. “It’s something that’s been really great for Aurora.”

In Aurora, volunteers must be 14 years old or older, accompanied by an adult if they are under 18 and must pass a background check, Bolton said.

Bolton also ensures that volunteers do not have to travel farther than 4miles from their homes for shoveling, he said.

Programs in other metro area cities have varying requirements and include the following.

•Arapahoe County “Dig Out Your Neighbor”

•Arvada “Snow Buddies”

•Aurora “Snow Busters”

•Commerce City “Snow Guardians”

•Cultivate’s “Snow Busters” in Boulder County

•Denver “Snow Angels”

•Lafayette “Snow Angels”

•Northglenn “Snowstormers”

•Thornton “Snowbusters”

Tags Local News Snow
Kyla Pearce

Reporter

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