With extra time on his hands , he kept active by mowing his lawn . “ I found that itwas atherapeutic way to clear my own mind ,” he says . “ I was thinking about my grandfather , and the news stories showing how seniors were vulnerable to COVID .”

Schwartz , aWayne native who for 15 years worked in digital advertising , decided to create his own good news by launching the website IWantToMowYourLawn . com . The service connects volunteer landscapers with the elderly and disabled , veterans and others in need of lawncare . Itissimilar to VolunteerMatch . org , he says , except that instead of allowing organizations topost volunteer opportunities , IWantToMowYourLawn . com makes it easy for individuals to post requests for help directly onto the site .

The nonprofit ’ s stated mission is “ to put some good out in the universe , one lawn at atime ,” and ithas resonated with both the lawn owners and those who tend them . Todate , 148 volunteers in36states have served 200 individuals , and the

LAWN RANGER Wayne resident Brian Schwartz pushes his Craftsman lawnmower across overgrown grass at ahome in Verona .

business has been covered by roughly 300 media outlets , including NorthJersey . com — whose early reporting he describes as “ gamechanging .” Schwartz even taped an episode of The Drew Barrymore Show , and was seated next to the star herself ; the episode airs Oct . 27 . “ It was so surreal ,” he says . “ I ’ m just helping my neighbors out !”

Here are 9 things you should know about Brian Schwartz .

HE NEVERWORKED AS A LANDSCAPER . Schwartz says that while he mows his own lawn , he considers himself a novice landscaper . “ When I was younger , I did snow removal for neighbors in the area with friends for pocket change ,” he says . He also did community service such as delivering food for the homeless with companies he worked for , but never landscaping .

CHRIS PEDOTA

6 FALL 2021 WAYNE MAGAZINE