Brooklyn Snow Patrol program helps seniors dig out, and brings neighbors together

A new volunteer program in Brooklyn aimed at helping senior homeowners safely clear snow is also creating unexpected connections across generations.

The Snow Patrol was mobilized by Andrew Wright, Brooklyn Councilmember Crystal Hudson's chief of staff, after a neighbor reached out seeking help ahead of last weekend's winter storm.

"We heard from a constituent who inquired with our office to see if there would be anybody to assist her in shoveling her sidewalk," Hudson said.

Hudson said her office put out a call to seniors who might need assistance and paired them with nearby volunteers.

"We heard from about over 30 people who volunteered to shovel for their neighbors. We had about two dozen neighbors in need. And so we matched everybody up," she said.

"It was a relief both financially and mentally"

Gail Muhammad, 75, has lived in her Crown Heights home for more than two decades, but says shoveling snow, or even paying for removal service, has become increasingly challenging and burdensome as she has gotten older.

"As a property owner, you're always afraid of lawsuits if you're not cleaning up quickly after a storm," Muhammad said.

Muhammad's fear eased when she was matched with a volunteer who came by on Sunday and Monday to clear her sidewalk as part of the new initiative.

"It was a relief both financially and mentally to have someone, to know that someone was going to come and do that," Muhammad said.

Among the program's volunteers is Andrew Adamietz of Clinton Hill, who recently helped clear snow for two elderly neighbors.

"I've been in New York for 11 years now, and I've really been looking for more ways to actually feel like I'm in a community," Adamietz said.

He said one of the residents he helped had serious health concerns.

"Both people definitely needed some help this winter. One of them had shared that he had a heart attack," Adamietz said.

"We've heard amazing stories of community building and connection"  

Hudson said the response to the program went beyond snow removal.

"We've heard amazing stories of community building and connection. People coming inside after shoveling their neighbor's snow, you know, for soup, hot coffee and hot chocolate," she said.

The initiative has since drawn interest from other elected officials across the city, including Brooklyn Councilmember Susan Zhuang, who picked up the shovel herself during a shortage of volunteers. Zhuang is now working on legislation to create a winter youth program that would provide paid shoveling opportunities for teenagers.

"We should have generation integration to help each other, for youth to help seniors clean up the sidewalk, sometimes bring food to their home," Zhuang said.

For Adamietz, the experience sparked friendships he plans to maintain long after the storms pass.

"I have no doubt that for any impending weather, from here on out, as long as I'm here, that I'll be messaging my new friends," he said.

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