Brian Schwartz, after losing his job during the pandemic in 2020, started mowing lawns for free to help elderly neighbors in Wayne, New Jersey. This initiative has since expanded into a nationwide nonprofit called I Want To Mow Your Lawn, with over 2,000 volunteers across all 50 U.S. states providing free yard care services to seniors, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. The organization uses an online platform to match local volunteers with those in need of assistance.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-27,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
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.
asserted
he → lose → Wayne
Six years later, that simple act has grown into a nationwide volunteer movement operating in all 50 U.S. states.
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act → grow → 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.
uncertain
network → accord → country
Together, they provide free lawn mowing, leaf raking and snow removal for senior citizens, military veterans, people with disabilities and others in need.
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they → provide → 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.
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who → use → properties
Turning redundancy into community service
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Turning → turn → service
Schwartz was working in digital advertising when his firm closed during the pandemic in June 2020, leaving him without a job.
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firm → work → 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.
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him → deal → rules
He decided to help older residents in his neighborhood who could not manage their yards during the lockdown.
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who → decide → lockdown
He created a website and offered free lawn mowing to people age 65 and older.
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He → create → people
The response came quickly.
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response → come → ?
Schwartz soon received requests from people outside his immediate neighborhood.
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Schwartz → receive → neighborhood
He used his own lawnmower and paid for the fuel himself.
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He → use → fuel
"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.
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Schwartz → go → 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.'"
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who → think → own
His first request came from an elderly woman in Verona, New Jersey.
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request → come → Verona
Her son normally cared for her lawn but was too busy with work to mow it.
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son → care → it
Schwartz loaded his mower and edger into his Jeep and drove 30 miles to help her, according to The Washington Post.
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Schwartz → load → Post
As more requests arrived, Schwartz used his background in web development and search engine optimization to build a dedicated online system.
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Schwartz → arrive → system
The site allowed people who needed help to request lawn visits and gave volunteers a way to sign up.
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who → allow → way
Building a technology platform for volunteers
The platform helps connect volunteers with people who need yard work in their area.
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who → build → area
Volunteers can see available requests and decide when they want to help.
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they → see → requests
The nonprofit also works to make the process safe for the people receiving help.
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process → work → help
Its website provides tools for coordinating volunteers and yard-care requests without requiring a long-term commitment.
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website → provide → commitment
According to I Want To Mow Your Lawn, the effort grew from a small New Jersey project into a national nonprofit.
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effort → accord → nonprofit
Volunteers joined from across the country, helping older adults, veterans, people with disabilities and others who could not manage their yards themselves.
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who → join → yards
The organization also attracted attention from the landscaping industry.
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organization → attract → industry
Landscape Management reported on Schwartz's work and the growth of I Want To Mow Your Lawn.
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I → report → Lawn
The publication has continued to cover the nonprofit as it expanded into a nationwide volunteer effort.
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it → continue → effort
The nonprofit has also expanded its work beyond summer lawn mowing.
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nonprofit → expand → 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.
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that → help → jobs
Supporting elderly and veteran residents
For many people who receive the free service, the help is about more than keeping their yards neat.
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help → support → yards
It can also give them a chance to see and speak with someone when they may otherwise spend much of their time alone.
uncertain
they → give → time
I Want To Mow Your Lawn says it provides free lawn care to elderly people, military veterans, people with disabilities and others in need.
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it → want → need
The organization was created in 2020 and operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
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organization → create → nonprofit
Schwartz has said that mowing his own lawn became a form of therapy after he lost his job.
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he → say → job
That experience led him to offer the same kind of help to people who were struggling to care for their homes.
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who → lead → homes
The organization's official website now says the network has reached all 50 states and has more than 2,000 volunteers.
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network → say → volunteers
The group remains volunteer-run and focuses on connecting people who need temporary yard-care help with people willing to provide it.
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who → remain → it
Schwartz continues to run the organization from New Jersey, helping oversee its technology, volunteer network and partnerships.
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Schwartz → continue → technology
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia
