Snow Hustle: How I Joined NYC’s Blizzard Brigade and Found Community at $30/Hr

When nearly 20 inches of snow fell across Manhattan at the end of February, the city looked like a snow globe. As a native New Yorker, I have not seen this much snow in a long time.

That question led me straight to the New York City Department of Sanitation, the largest municipal sanitation department in the world. Founded in 1881 as the Department of Street Cleaning during a public health crisis, the agency was created to combat filth filled streets lined with horse manure and household waste. The Emergency Snow Laborer program has existed for decades to temporarily boost the workforce during major storms, allowing civilians to step in and help clear sidewalks, crosswalks, and hydrants when snowfall overwhelms the system.

This year the opportunity felt especially compelling as Mayor Mamdani boosted he hourly wage for Emergency Snow Laborers increased to $30 an hour, with overtime rising to $45 an hour after 40 hours of work. For many navigating a tight job market, that is not pocket change. It is rent money. Grocery money. School tuition.

I grew up shoveling my family’s driveway, so the idea did not intimidate me. It felt almost nostalgic. An opportunity to be outside, get physical activity, meet new people, and feel that delicious sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. So, I gathered my required IDs and took the bus to Garage 11 on East 128th Street.

By 10 a.m. I walked into a room with at least 40 people who had been waiting since 8 a.m. to register for their official Emergency Snow Laborer card. By noon they locked the doors because so many people were coming in. Staff were overwhelmed. They were used to a handful of applicants a month, not a hundred a day. My name was finally called at 4 p.m. I handed over my passport, Social Security card, and driver’s license, and filled out a packet of documents. When they issued me my ID card, I felt oddly proud. It was just laminated paper, but it represented effort and possibility.

During registration, The rules came first, delivered in that brisk municipal style that leaves no room for ambiguity and even less for nonsense. “No drinking or smoking weed on this job.” “No making side deals with people and stores on the street for side money.” “No TikTok videos or you will never work here again.” One guy joked, “Hey we are almost by my home. I can see my weed dealer on my corner!” We laughed, but the rules were serious. This was city work.

Another man confided, “Having served time it’s hard to get work out here. Thought this was good money. Not quick money though they say we should receive money in approximately four weeks.” Someone else shrugged and said, “Once they increased the hourly rate to $30 how could I not come out to work.” A young man grinned and told me, “My momma said get out and apply to work. It’s good money and it’s shoveling snow. Out!”

The next morning, I returned at 8 a.m. The room was packed, at least 75 people including two women who had worked the day before and about 40 of us who had just received our cards. I was not sure there would be space for all of us, but there was. We were told to grab a vest and a shovel. The command leader moved with impressive efficiency, checking in overnight shifts and dispatching fresh crews.

Our group of ten was supervised by Mr. Novarro, who later told us he had a great day working with us. We were assigned to shovel from East 74th Street down to 59th Street. We jumped into a van, loaded our shovels, and headed downtown under bright sunshine.

We split into two groups of five, one on each side of the street. We cleared snow from fire hydrants for emergency access. We carved out crosswalks and pushed melting slush toward drains so water could flow properly. We chopped down ice mounds and moved them into the street for plows to collect. We even carried our huge shovels to lunch, laughing about how we had all landed on this snow mission.

Pedestrians thanked us. Dogs trotted happily across clean paths. Baby carriages rolled smoothly instead of wobbling over frozen ridges. I felt pride bloom in my chest.

Kolden McKeehan, 35, an engineer from Mott Haven, told me he heard about the opportunity on the news. “I was compelled to come help shovel because I care about my city,” he said. “My experience shoveling was great. Easy registration. Had all the right documents. American citizenship baby.” He laughed. “I enjoyed my group. Had a bunch of fun. I would definitely recommend the opportunity to other Americans.”

Ryan Ackerman, 23, from Corinth, New York and now living in Harlem, is searching for an electrical design position. “It seems like a great way to meet some new people along with making some extra money,” he said. He admitted the registration process was chaotic but added, “The experience itself was enjoyable. Walking around the city and helping the community was a great experience overall.” He described his crew as two engineers, a writer, a high school student, and “some guy that went by the name of “Chopper” for his abilities in breaking up ice with a pickaxe.” Ryan laughed recounting how Chopper wandered off several times to attack random snow clumps.

Josue Villar, 23, a security guard from Harlem balancing school and 20 to 30 hours of work weekly, said, “Hard time finding work in security, so I came to earn some money on the side. Always a cool time to help around the community and the pay is a big motivator. No reason not to.”

Andres Mendoza, 22, also from Harlem, told me the job market has been tough. “I plan to do as many hours as possible,” he said. Flamur Kukaj, 24, from uptown Manhattan, wants to save for school. “The city does need our help and I think this is a wonderful opportunity that they are giving us civilians.”

Johnathan Green, 35, a certified personal trainer, kept it real. “I wanted to do this for the money. It’s $30 an hour. I don’t mind cleaning the city. I live here and would like to walk in a clean street.”

John Holzach, 65, a retired stagehand from Yorkville, said, “A chance to earn a few bucks and give back to the city. It felt good to be back on a crew.”

By the time we piled back into the van at 4 p.m., with muscles pleasantly sore, I felt something bigger than a paycheck. In a city known for its pace and ambition, we had slowed down just enough to help each other move forward. A blizzard of 20 inches turned Manhattan into a winter wonderland, but it also revealed what keeps New York unstoppable. We show up. We shovel. We hustle with heart.