The City of Aurora’s Operation Senior Shovel (OSS) Program provides free snow removal assistance during the winter months for senior citizens and individuals living with disabilities who are physically or financially unable to clear their own walkways and driveways.
Thank you to all who applied and city staff for helping with assistance. Be on the lookout for next year!
Snow removal services are only activated once a snow event is officially announced by the City of Aurora as a qualifying snow event of 2 or more inches of snow.
You do not need to call to request snow removal. Service is automatically initiated by the Senior and Disability Services Team once a qualifying snow event occurs.
You can expect snow removal to be completed within 48 hours of the initial qualifying snowfall.
It is important to know, that participating in last year’s program, does not make you automatically eligible for this year’s program. Participation does not carry over from year to year.
Occupants in your house, must also be over the age of 60 for you to qualify, OR, if aged 18 to 59, must be unable to shovel snow due to a temporary or permanent disability or serious medical condition
Each occupant aged 18 to 59 may be required to provide a statement, from a medical professional, verifying that the disability or serious medical condition prevents them from shoveling snow
If any occupants, aged 18 to 59, are not disabled or have a serious medical condition, then the elderly resident is not eligible for the program
The applying resident may be required to provide a statement, from a medical professional, verifying that the disability or medical condition prevents you from shoveling snow
Occupants in your house aged 18 or older, may be required to provide a statement from a medical professional stating that they are disabled or have a serious medical condition and cannot shovel snow
If the occupants in your house are not disabled, or have a serious medical condition, then the disabled resident is not eligible for the program
Do you enjoy helping others during the winter months? Sign up to be a Snow Angel Volunteer and support your senior and disabled neighbors with snow removal during qualifying snow events.
Here is a brief overview of the Snow Angel commitment for the 2025-2026 Winter Season:
You only provide snow removal support when there is a qualifying snow event of 2 inches or more
You will shovel for the same assigned Snow Angel Home(s) for each qualifying snow event.
You will be assigned at least one Snow Angel Home, the preference is 2 homes, and you can volunteer for up to 5 homes.
Your Snow Angel Home(s) will be assigned based on proximity to your home address. We encourage neighbors helping neighbors.
You provide your own shovel or snow blower.
You have up to 48 hours after a qualifying snow event has concluded to shovel your assigned Snow Angel Home(s). We encourage you to shovel as soon as possible to increase the safety and ease the stress of our seniors/disabled participants.
You engage and receive communication through the Better Impact App or Browser
If you have questions, or would like to share a testimony or photos from your OSS experience, please email us at SeniorShovel@aurora.il.us or call at 311.
Volunteer Today