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
