New Jersey man lost job, mowed lawns for free; network grew to 2,000 volunteers

In 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted daily life in the US, Brian Schwartz lost his job. Landscape Management reported that Schwartz, who was also caring for a sick parent at the time, found a way to help older neighbours and veterans struggling to maintain their yards.What started as a simple act of help soon attracted people who wanted to do the same. Schwartz created a basic website with his contact details so people could reach him. Requests began coming from outside his neighbourhood, and volunteers started contacting him to ask how they could help people in their own communities, the organisation's webiste says.That small effort eventually became I Want To Mow Your Lawn, a registered nonprofit based in Wayne, New Jersey. The organisation now connects volunteers with older adults, veterans and other people who need temporary help with their yards.