The Eartheasy Reviews Team works to provide comprehensive and objective reviews so consumers can make the most informed decisions. For transparency, this post may contain affiliate links.
Every homeowner wants a thriving lawn they can be proud of. Unfortunately, achieving a lush green lawn isn’t all that easy. You need to make sure it’s properly cared for and maintained, from routine mowing to regular fertilization.
In the South, this is especially important, with the heat able to wreak havoc on even the hardiest warm-season grasses.
Homeowners in Alabama may have heard of Raising Men Lawn Care Service. The company is not your traditional lawn care service. The locally founded non-profit operates more as a charity than a lawn care business. Its offerings are limited, and its services are not available to everyone.
We’ve created this in-depth Raising Men lawn care review, evaluating services, costs, availability and more to help you determine if it’s the best fit for your lawn’s needs.
In this article:
- About Raising Men Lawn Care Service
- Lawn care services
- How to work with Raising Men Lawn Care Service
- What others say about Raising Men Lawn Care Service
- Cost of services
- Our conclusion
- Our top recommendation for lawn care
- Frequently asked questions
About Raising Men Lawn Care Service
In 2015, college student Rodney Smith Jr. saw an elderly man struggling to mow his lawn. At that moment, he decided to help out. As a kid, he had never liked mowing lawns, but then he realized that just mowing one person’s lawn for free can have a huge positive impact in their life.
In September of that year, he challenged himself to mow 40 lawns before winter for people who couldn’t do it themselves—but he hit that goal in October. Smith upped the ante to 100 and hit that goal in November. That winter, Smith was awarded $319 from WHNT News’ Pay It Forward segment. With that, he started Raising Men Lawn Care Service.
The service is a non-profit organization that connects the elderly, the disabled, single parents and veterans with young volunteers who provide free lawn care.
Raising Men Lawn Care Service provides yard maintenance services in the following counties:
- Madison County, AL
- Morgan County, AL
- Limestone County, AL
- Lawrence County, AL
- Jackson County, AL (as far as Scottsbro)
- Webb County, TX
Pros and cons
Completely free for those who qualify | Limited range of services |
| Charity-focused with mission statement to empower the next generation to help others | Not available to everyone |
| Only available in two states |
Raising Men Lawn Care Service has been featured by a number of media outlets, including BuzzFeed, DIY Network, USA Today and NBC news. Much of its growth can be traced to one element: the 50-yard challenge.
50-yard challenge
The 50-yard challenge is simple. Smith challenges kids to mow 50 lawns for anyone who needs help in their town. All they have to do to accept is post a photo on social media with a sign that reads, “I accept the 50-yard challenge.”
As the kids mow more lawns, they can get colored t-shirts to show their progress. Once they complete all 50, they receive a free lawn mower and blower from Raising Men Lawn Care Service.
As of 2020, the organization includes eight different local chapters. Through social media outreach, 645 kids have participated and mowed 15,000 lawns. Many people show their support by following Smith on social media and helping out with donations when he goes on a lawn tour.
Lawn care services
Raising Men Lawn Care Service offers three basic services:
- Lawn mowing, with blowing and weed eating included
- Raking leaves
- Shoveling snow
Raising Men Lawn Care Service offers maintenance instead of typical lawn care services like fertilization, aeration, and tree and shrub care.
How to work with Raising Men Lawn Care Service
To receive lawn care from Raising Men, you have to meet one of the following qualifications:
- Elderly
- Disabled
- Single parent
- Veteran
You also have to live in a chapter area that is currently accepting lawn requests. Right now, the website says it’s closed for requests. However, that might change in the future. If your need is urgent, you can call the organization.
What others say about Raising Men Lawn Care Service
Here are a few example reviews from Raising Men Lawn Care’s Facebook page, where it has a 5 out of 5 star rating.
“This is an absolutely wonderful charity. It teaches our youth responsibility, values, and respect for others; it gives them a purpose, self-respect, and self-worth.” — Caron C.
“Thank you Rodney for coming and mowing our lawn and working with Flash Love and our local police to serve people! It’s so wonderful to see people loving people and helping those who need it!” — April D.
“I thank God for these people. They cut my grass today and did a wonderful job. And, believe me, it was a mess. I’m truly blessed.” — Faye H.
Cost of services
Lawn maintenance from Raising Men Lawn Care Service is completely free to anyone who fits the criteria. The organization is supported by donations through its GoFundMe page and also gets support from the Milwaukee-based lawnmower company Briggs & Stratton. That company partnered with Raising Men Lawn Care Service in its early days and has donated equipment to the charity.
Our conclusion
Raising Men Lawn Care Service seems like a great charity, connecting volunteer youths with the elderly, disabled, veterans, and single parents, for completely free lawn maintenance services. However, the non-profit organization is not a traditional lawn care company and not suitable for most people.
Our top recommendation for lawn care
It’s always a good idea to know which other lawn care providers are available to you. We’ve researched the top providers in the industry and ranked them on factors like price, service plans, technology and more. Our top choice for DIY Lawn Care is Sunday, an eco-friendly start-up that delivers a customized lawn care kit directly to your door.
With natural ingredients from molasses to kelp, each kit is tailored to your lawn’s specific needs and size. Sunday lawn care allows you to have the best lawn possible, doing the fun work yourself with techniques and products backed by experts and lawn care professionals.
To connect with the Sunday team or to get a quote, you can visit the company’s secure website to get a free lawn analysis.
Frequently asked questions
Is Raising Men lawn care free?
Raising Men Lawn Care Service provides free mowing, blowing, snow shoveling and raking to those who qualify—veterans, the elderly, the disabled and single parents. Its services are not available to others.
Is it worth it paying for lawn care?
That will depend on your individual lawn’s needs and how much time you have. If your grass is sparse and patchy, you may need to have your lawn overseeded, which is much easier to have done by a professional. If you like the idea of DIY lawn care but don’t know where to start, consider Sunday lawn care, where lawn care is a hands-on project backed by science.
How often should you cut your grass?
The general rule is to mow your lawn once a week, but ultimately it will boil down to your grass type and climate. For best mowing practices, never cut off more than the top third of the grass blades at a time. This will encourage strong root growth and deter weeds.
When should you not mow your grass?
It is best not to mow your grass when it is wet. Mowing then can shred and damage the blades. Depending on your grass type, you might also need to refrain from mowing during a drought—mowing then can stress your grass.
