The Snow Angels program is about neighbours volunteering to help neighbors, who have difficulty with snow removal, clear their sidewalks in front of their homes. This act of kindness not only benefits the seniors and those with disabilities, but also the community as a whole. Clearing snow from sidewalks is important for the safety of everyone who uses our sidewalks.
Make it a family event, or create a neighbourhood group to do a number of homes together. It’s all about neighbours helping neighbours!
All volunteers and residents must agree to Terms of Service or unregister from the program. A summary can be found at the bottom of this page along with a link to the full document. This is an act of kindness and Langley Volunteer Bureau is providing a platform for Snow Angels to find those in need and are not responsible for damages or injury.
Who can request a Snow Angel?
Residents of Langley City and Langley Township who are seniors (over 65 years old) or those with a disability. A resident can register themselves or be registered by someone else. The person registering will be required to give their name and contact information and must have permission from the resident to do so.
What is a Snow Angel?
A volunteer who has registered to be a Snow Angel. They have provided a photo of themselves holding picture ID, so we can confirm who they are to our best ability before approving them. Snow Angels can be students, neighbours, or friends of the area.
What will the Snow Angels do?
When we get a snow fall, Snow Angels will try to get to every residence that has requested help to clear the snow from the public sidewalks in front of their homes. It won’t always be possible, but they’ll do what they can.
What will a Snow Angels not do?
Snow Angels are committed to clear your public sidewalks, not shovel your driveways or walkways to the home. They will not come to your door, or try to talk to you. They will not put themselves in any danger if weather is extreme or snow accumulation is beyond their physical ability to clear.
Can I say thank you to my Snow Angel?
If you register with an email address, when your Snow Angel clears your sidewalks, and confirms it is cleared, you will get an email letting you know they’ve been to your residence and cleared the snow. In that email there will be two links, one to let us know how it went, and the other to send a thank you to your Snow Angel.
I’m moving and no longer require a Snow Angel.
Please email snowangels@langleyvolunteers.ca and provide your name and address. We will remove you from the program.
I’ve registered as a Snow Angel. Now what?
We will review your registration and once approved, you will see an interactive map on your Snow Angels ‘My Locations” tab. Click in the area you’d like to help and available addresses will appear on the right. Simply choose the homes you’d like to do. New addresses are continually added so check back – especially if snow is in the forecast!
Do you provide any equipment to the Snow Angels?
Once approved, and equipment is available, Snow Angels can pick up a snow shovel, a bucket of salt and a high visibility vest. We will have regular pickup times. Location to be determined.
As a Snow Angel, will I be notified of a snowfall?
You will receive an email notification the day before, or morning of, a forecasted snowfall with a request to have the snow cleared by 8 PM. We all know snowfall measurements are difficult to forecast and some areas may need more clearing than others. Use your best judgement.
What if it is forecasted to snow for multiple days or it keeps snowing after I cleared the sidewalks?
A new Snowfall notification will be sent out each day if snow is forecast. We hope you can get there each day to clear the sidewalks but understand this is not always possible. Please marked the sidewalks cleared on the days you clear them.
If it continued to snow significantly after you cleared the sidewalk, and no snow is forecast for the next day, the resident would appreciate you returning to clear the sidewalk.
I’m a Snow Angel and can do some extra houses this snowfall. How do I do that?
Once a Snowfall notification has been received, you can log into your profile and under My Locations, click the map and select any available locations. Just select “I will clear for this snowfall”.
If you selected the “Yes to helping with other residences” box under availability, you will receive an email notification if there are homes without Snow Angels for any particular snowfall.
I’m a Snow Angel. What do I do after I’ve cleared the sidewalk?
Please log in and click ‘Sidewalks Cleared” and select “Yes, I cleared”. Sometimes a kind neighbour, friend or family member has done the sidewalk already. You can select ‘No, the sidewalks were already cleared”. We apologize for the inconvenience and will follow up with residents if it happens often.
If you have selected temporary locations, you can remove the location from your list.
I’m a Snow Angel, but I can’t help with a particular snowfall. What do I do?
Once you get a snowfall notification, you can log in to your Better Community ap, select the Snow Angels tab and select the “cannot clear” button. The address will be added to the No Snow Angel list for that snowfall only.
I’m a Snow Angel and I’m going away on vacation. What do I do?
If you know you are going to be unavailable, you can block dates off under “My Preferences & Availability”. You can enter multiple dates. If you make an error, click on the dates you entered to edit or remove.
What if I can’t be a Snow Angel anymore?
You can temporarily mark yourself as unavailable, and/or remove your selected location, or you can unregister at any time. It’s easy to re-register if things change.
Who sees my registration information?
Langley Volunteers Snow Angels coordinator will be able to see all of your registration details. Snow Angels will only see a street address.
What happens if I make a mistake when I registered?
If you are a resident, you need to talk to the Snow Angel’s coordinator, email snowangels@langleyvolunteers.ca. If you are a Snow Angel, you can update your registration. If you made an error uploading your picture with identification, please contact us at the email address above.
Terms of Service
Langley Volunteer Bureau’s Snow Angels program (“the program”) was created to facilitate connecting those requiring assistance with snow shovelling with those who are willing to do so. It is an act of kindness that benefits not only the residents registered but all those that use the sidewalk. By signing up to be a Snow Angel, or as a resident requiring snow removal, you are agreeing that Langley Volunteer Bureau holds no responsibility for any loss or damage to property or person resulting from connections made using the program before, during, or after snow clearing. The Snow Angels acknowledge there is some risk in physical work outdoors and they will take all necessary precautions to avoid injury and/or damage to property by taking all necessary precautions. They acknowledge they are physically able to perform the snow removal and their safety and personal well-being are their sole responsibility. If weather or other circumstances make it unsafe to clear the snow, the Snow Angels can simply mark any selected addresses as ‘cannot clear’.
We do our best to confirm Snow Angels are who they say they are by having them upload a picture of themselves holding a picture ID before approving them. We recognize our seniors and those with disabilities can be vulnerable and ask that residents do not approach the volunteers. We ask that our Snow Angels follow all traffic and safety precautions, wear appropriate clothes and footwear, and to shovel public sidewalks only. No money or gifts are to exchange hands between volunteers and residents.
Please refer to the following Terms of Service document:
Thank you in advance for being part of the Langley Volunteer Bureau’s Snow Angel program – have fun, be safe, and your kindness is appreciated!