While many look forward to the snowfall that comes with Michigan winters, for some, clearing the sidewalks poses a challenge. The Michigan Daily explored one plan that aims to address this issue — Ann Arbor’s Snow Match program, which is designed to connect volunteers with local residents who need assistance shoveling snow outside their homes.
The program matches Ann Arbor residents who are 55 years of age or older or who have a disability and lack the means to find or hire assistance with a volunteer who lives within a half mile of them. In an interview with The Daily, Victor Morales-Rios, Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation deputy manager for maintenance, said the program helps those who might struggle to clear sidewalks in accordance with the city’s snow removal ordinance, ensuring everyone can safely navigate sidewalks regardless of winter weather.
“Sidewalks can be hazardous for everyone,” Morales-Rios said. “The goal of the program is to make the sidewalks accessible for all ages and for people regardless of their ability.”
The Snow Match program started in 2022 under Deputy City Administrator John Fournier, who was inspired by a similar initiative in Boston. Morales-Rios explained how the program was founded on a collaboration between multiple city departments.
“A combination of staff officials, staff members and city officials from the Community Services department, the IT department and Parks and Recreation department worked together to launch this program,” Morales-Rios said.
According to Morales-Rios, 29 volunteers and 31 recipients have signed up so far for the current winter season. However, only 17 matches have been made because of the geographic restraints. Morales-Rios said he hopes publicizing the program will lead to more volunteers and successful pairings.
“We were hoping to be able to match every single recipient with a volunteer, but sometimes that’s not the case,” Morales-Rios said. “We would like to have maybe twice the amount of volunteers as recipients, simply because the program matches a volunteer with a recipient that is within half a mile radius. … The idea is to promote this program to be able to bring more volunteers so we can match as many recipients as possible.”
Morales-Rios said the program has received positive feedback from the community and that it aims to support Ann Arbor residents who might otherwise struggle with inclement weather.
“This is basically a perfect opportunity for (residents) to receive the need that they help and for them to be able to to avoid getting injured by attempting to do snow removal,” Morales-Rios said. “This program aims to make our sidewalks safer for those who are outside during the winter. That includes postal carriers, regular students, children that are walking from the bus to their homes or going to school and overall, members of the community that are using the sidewalks for transportation.”
Shoveling snow can pose risks for many groups, including those with cardiovascular conditions. Dr. John Bisognano, interim section head for the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Michigan Medicine, told The Daily clearing walkways could impact existing cardiovascular complications, which are more prevalent among older adults.
“When you shovel snow, the weather is almost always cold and so that puts a particular strain on the heart and lungs,” Bisognano said. “Shoveling snow is something that is a heavy activity. You’re lifting, moving, doing lots of stuff, so it requires a lot of energy. … If I have somebody who has a history of high blood pressure, a history of some heart disease or lung disease, that hasn’t done much for the rest of the year and in December they’re going to shovel snow for the first time, that could be a really high risk.”
In an interview with The Daily, Taubman senior Theo Berry, vice president for outreach at the Urbanism Club at the University of Michigan, said in addition to promoting accessibility, the program has the potential to help students become more involved in the community.
“Programs like this that get average community members,or even students,to interact with people can help build some of that community trust in our vision and…maybe make us feel more connected with Ann Arbor,” Berry said. “So I think it’d be great for students to engage with.”
Morales-Rios encouraged those interested in volunteering to visit the program’s website, noting volunteers often enjoy the experience of assisting others.
“We are relieving some of the stress that comes from snowfall, along with fostering stronger relationships,” Morales-Rios said. “For volunteers, this is an opportunity for them to give back to the community, to give back to the city. They have the physical abilities and the desire to help community members that are in need.”
Daily Staff Reporter Nadia Taeckens can be reached at taeckens@umich.edu.
The post ‘Relieving some of the stress that comes from snowfall’: Snow Match Program helps residents keep sidewalks clear appeared first on The Michigan Daily.
Leave a Reply