Take Action to Support Neighbors Who Need Help With Lawn Work

After Brian Schwartz lost his job during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, he searched for a way to stay busy. He found comfort outdoors and spent a lot of that early time landscaping his own yard.

“I like staying active, and landscaping became a form of therapy,” Brian told Idealist.

His wife was eight months pregnant, his father was battling a terminal illness, and stories about older adults struggling to take care of themselves and their homes filled the news. Instead of sitting with the stress, however, Brian realized he could channel his new hobby into a force for good.

A simple act of kindness grows into a nationwide movement

Brian started by offering free lawn care to folks in his New Jersey community. Many of the older adults who lived nearby could no longer maintain their yards themselves, and he wanted to offer another option if they couldn’t afford lawn services.

"I always knew volunteering was a way to stay busy during a period of unemployment and do something meaningful," he says.

Before long, he had more requests than he could manage on his own, so he built a simple website to recruit more volunteers. By the summer of 2020, Brian launched a fundraising campaign to transform the project into I Want To Mow Your Lawn, a registered nonprofit organization dedicated to helping provide older adults, veterans, and people with disabilities with free lawn care services.

"It's turned into something more than just keeping myself busy," Brian says. “Now it’s a labor of love, and people from around the country are excited to join us.”

At first glance, mowing someone's lawn may seem like a small gesture, but for many homeowners who have trouble accessing lawn care services, having a neighbor show up to cut the grass, trim the edges, or clear overgrown weeds can make an enormous difference.

Today, the organization has grown into a network of more than 2,000 volunteers across the United States, but they need more support. During peak season, which is typically the summertime, I Want To Mow Your Lawn receives requests from roughly 60 households every day.

Volunteers aren’t required to make a long-term commitment, because even helping out as-needed can make a world of difference. That being said, many of I Want To Mow Your Lawn’s volunteers do end up coming back. Every visit is an opportunity for them to check in with a neighbor, build relationships, and strengthen community ties.

If you already own basic lawn equipment and enjoy working outdoors, you have everything you need to get started. The organization is looking for folks to pitch in across the country, and a simple volunteer inquiry form helps them understand what tools you already have to get started.

Ready to help?

If you're looking for a flexible way to make a difference in your community, consider volunteering with I Want To Mow Your Lawn.