When Brian Schwartz lost his digital marketing job during the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2020, he pulled out his lawnmower and began cutting grass for elderly neighbors in Wayne, New Jersey. Six years later, that simple act has grown into a nationwide volunteer movement operating in all 50 U.S. states. According to figures published by the initiative’s official website, I Want To Mow Your Lawn, the nonprofit network now has more than 2,000 volunteers across the country. Together, they provide free lawn mowing, leaf raking and snow removal for senior citizens, military veterans, people with disabilities and others in need. The organization uses a digital platform to connect local people who have outdoor power equipment with residents who need physical or financial help caring for their properties.
Turning redundancy into community service
Schwartz was working in digital advertising when his firm closed during the pandemic in June 2020, leaving him without a job. He was dealing with isolation and uncertainty and wanted to find an outdoor activity that would keep him active while allowing him to follow social distancing rules. He decided to help older residents in his neighborhood who could not manage their yards during the lockdown. He created a website and offered free lawn mowing to people age 65 and older. The response came quickly. Schwartz soon received requests from people outside his immediate neighborhood. He used his own lawnmower and paid for the fuel himself. “I’d gone out to mow my lawn and it felt therapeutic, it was a good workout and helped me to clear my mind,” Schwartz told The Washington Post. “So I thought, ‘That’s it, I’ll give back by mowing lawns and doing yard work for people who are having trouble doing it on their own.'” His first request came from an elderly woman in Verona, New Jersey. Her son normally cared for her lawn but was too busy with work to mow it. Schwartz loaded his mower and edger into his Jeep and drove 30 miles to help her, according to The Washington Post. As more requests arrived, Schwartz used his background in web development and search engine optimization to build a dedicated online system. The site allowed people who needed help to request lawn visits and gave volunteers a way to sign up.
Building a technology platform for volunteers
The platform helps connect volunteers with people who need yard work in their area. Volunteers can see available requests and decide when they want to help. The nonprofit also works to make the process safe for the people receiving help. Its website provides tools for coordinating volunteers and yard-care requests without requiring a long-term commitment. According to I Want To Mow Your Lawn, the effort grew from a small New Jersey project into a national nonprofit. Volunteers joined from across the country, helping older adults, veterans, people with disabilities and others who could not manage their yards themselves. The organization also attracted attention from the landscaping industry. Landscape Management reported on Schwartz’s work and the growth of I Want To Mow Your Lawn. The publication has continued to cover the nonprofit as it expanded into a nationwide volunteer effort. The nonprofit has also expanded its work beyond summer lawn mowing. Volunteers can help with other outdoor tasks, including leaf removal and snow clearing, giving older residents help with jobs that can be difficult or unsafe to handle alone.
Supporting elderly and veteran residents
For many people who receive the free service, the help is about more than keeping their yards neat. It can also give them a chance to see and speak with someone when they may otherwise spend much of their time alone. I Want To Mow Your Lawn says it provides free lawn care to elderly people, military veterans, people with disabilities and others in need. The organization was created in 2020 and operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Schwartz has said that mowing his own lawn became a form of therapy after he lost his job. That experience led him to offer the same kind of help to people who were struggling to care for their homes. The organization’s official website now says the network has reached all 50 states and has more than 2,000 volunteers. The group remains volunteer-run and focuses on connecting people who need temporary yard-care help with people willing to provide it. Schwartz continues to run the organization from New Jersey, helping oversee its technology, volunteer network and partnerships. What began with one unemployed man, one lawnmower and a desire to help his neighbors has grown into a national movement built around a simple idea, helping someone with a job as ordinary as cutting their grass can make a real difference.