A soon-to-be graduate from Alabama A&M is giving back to his community in a big way, and teaching young men about the importance of community at the same time.
In an interview with AL.com, Rodney Smith Jr. came up with the idea for Raising Men Lawncare Service in Fall 2014 after he saw an older man struggling to mow his lawn.
“It looked like he was struggling. I was watching him and it just hit me. I could do something about it,” said Smith, who is originally from Bermuda. He came to the U.S. in 2009, and later earned an associate’s degree from Drake State Technical College. He will graduate in May from Alabama A&M with a degree in computer science. He currently works the service seven days a week in between his classes.
The initial goal of the lawn care service was to mow 40 lawns, but he and his business partner and friend, Terrence Stroy, reached that goal in a month. 2 months after he started, they had completed over 100 lawns.
Since its launch, Raising Men Lawncare now serves as both a lawn care company and a youth service program. Nearly 20 young boys and teens, aging from 7 to 17, assist Smith and Stroy in mowing the lawns. They don’t just mow the lawns though, Smith and Stroy take them on outings and work with them to develop their self-esteem, ethics and morals. “We get to know them and have a good time.” Smith says he wants to show them the importance of teamwork, camaraderie leadership and listening skills.
Smith says that the service isn’t just a one-time deal. They return to their clients every two weeks to check on them and their lawn. The clients are extremely grateful, and Smith says many of them get emotional and cry after they have helped them. “One lady had bone cancer and couldn’t afford to pay someone to cut her grass. So many people have fallen on hard times and it feels good to be able to help them,” he said.
After the service was featured in a campaign by Briggs & Stratton, and posts on the service’s official Facebook page went viral, they have gotten lots of attention on social media, raising over $44,000 on their GoFundMe page.
Smith wants to use the money to expand, and says that people from all over the world have been donating to them and inquiring about starting their own chapters of Raising Men Lawncare Service.
His aims are to take the service global. He also plans to return to school to get his masters in social work.
Way to go Rodney! The world is your oyster!
