A Jacksonville Nonprofit Started by a Navy Sailor

Everyone I've helped so far has told me some version of that. People who gave years to this country, or to this city, standing in their own yard telling me somebody else should get the help instead.

I'm Jeremy Johnson. I've served in the U.S. Navy for more than 17 years, and I'm still serving. What started as a passion for lawn care has grown into something bigger: Mows for Heroes.

The yard isn't the hard part.

A yard can be mowed and edged in an afternoon. The hard part is that the people who have earned a hand are the last ones to ask for it. A lot of people, mainly veterans, don't like to ask for help. They would rather let the grass grow than take something they think someone else needs more.

What I tell every one of them.

I tell them the same thing every time. No matter what your service looked like, you deserve it. You showed up for this community. Now it's our turn to show up for you.

So far, that's been enough. People let us help.

Why we're built around nominations.

If the people who most deserve help won't ask, somebody else has to ask for them. That's why Mows for Heroes is built around nominations. You know who's been putting off the yard. Tell us about them. We'll reach out quietly, we'll keep it simple, and we'll get to work.

Heroes come in all walks of life. Veterans. Military families. First responders. Teachers. Nurses. Seniors. Single parents. Different stories. One mission.

We don't do this alone.

Paperwork isn't what gets a yard done. People do. Local lawn businesses lend their crews as volunteer affiliates. On Mission #2, a local lawn business worked right alongside us. Volunteers bring mowers, blowers or just two hands. When a community comes together, great things happen.

Not every property needs a complete overhaul. Sometimes, it simply needs a little extra attention, some hard work, and people willing to lend a helping hand. That's most of what we do.