Rodney Smith Jr. is a man of few words. He prefers to let his actions speak for him, as he travels all over the country to spread a simple but meaningful act of kindness: mowing and raking the lawns of those who can't do it themselves, including the elderly, disabled, single mothers and veterans. And he does it for free.

He started mowing lawns in 2015, when he was a student at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, where he was studying computer science at the time. "I came across an elderly man mowing his lawn," he says. The man was struggling, so Rodney asked if he could use some help.

The spontaneous act spurred a whole movement. "That night, I decided to start this," he says of his nonprofit organization, Raising Men Lawn Care Service, which he founded in 2016 along with his friend Terrence Stroy. "I saw a need, so I just continued on."

His presence on social media also speaks loudly. Raising Men's Facebook page is filled with before-and-after photos showing overgrown yards that Rodney and other volunteers cheerfully mow. The "after" photos show a dramatic difference. He poses with most of the people whose grass he cuts, always flashing a peace sign and smiling broadly.

"They're grateful," he says. "It means a lot to them."

Sometimes, the residents aren't at home, or they're too sick to come outside. "I just mowed Mrs. Brown's lawn for her on this beautiful Sunday," he wrote recently. "She was at church, but when she returns she will come home to a freshly mowed lawn."

On another day: "I just had the pleasure of mowing Ms. Chaplin's lawn. As you may know, she's currently still battling stage 4 cancer. A battle she will win! She was inside resting so didn't want to disturb her. Please have her in your prayers."

Another regular client passed away recently, and her family asked Rodney to mow her yard before the funeral. "She was such a sweet lady," he wrote. "It felt weird mowing her lawn & her not coming to greet me. Please have the family in your prayers."

Sometimes a yard becomes overgrown because people can't mow their own lawn and can't afford to pay someone else to do it. Recently, Rodney encountered a single mother of four who had "just the other day received a violation notice in the mail about her yard," he wrote. "She told us it's just been hard and a lot to take care of. So glad we could help her out."

A few months after he started the nonprofit, Rodney came up with the idea of a 50-Yard Challenge for youth ages seven to 17, anywhere in the world. Boys and girls sign up for the challenge by posting a photo of themselves with a sign saying "I've accepted the 50-yard challenge." Rodney sends them a white T-shirt with the Raising Men Lawn Care Service logo on it (or Raising Women, for girls).

After that, the kids get a different colored T-shirt for every lawn they mow: orange for 10, green for 20, blue for 30, red for 40 and black for 50. "Once they reach 50, they become a lot like a black belt at mowing lawns," the website reads.

In addition to the T-shirt, each child receives a personal visit from Rodney who mows with them and brings them their own brand-new lawn mower, leaf blower and weed eater. Currently, 255 kids in five countries are participating in the challenge, and 22 kids in far-flung locations have reached the 50-lawn mark.

Rodney encourages the kids on social media, posting photos of them wearing their various-colored T-shirts and calling them "heroes." In addition to providing a valuable service, they gain self-esteem by knowing they're helping to improve their communities - and they learn all about yard work.

"Most kids do it because they love making a difference," he says.

Rodney, a native of Bermuda, came to the United States in 2009 at age 16 to attend a boarding school in upstate New York. After earning a two-year degree from Drake Technical College in Huntsville, he majored in computer science at Alabama A&M and went on to attend graduate school there, earning a master's in social work this past spring.

In addition to his studies, Rodney has continued mowing lawns and running his nonprofit. "This is my full-time job," he says. "I'm not taking a salary."

Eventually, he hopes to turn Raising Men "into a big organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters," he says.

He spent the past two summers on his 50 States 50 Lawns tour, a personal mission to mow 50 yards in all 50 states, leaving his friend Terrence and his dog, Neiko, in charge of the Huntsville-based Raising Men.

Terrence is in charge once again during the month of October, as Rodney sets out to visit cities all over the country with Los Angeles-based Yuri Williams, who dresses up as Spider Man to bring cheer to children. The dynamic duo will visit sick kids in hospitals and feed and clothe homeless people along the way. Rodney plans to have his lawn mower with him, too, he says.

"The goal of this trip is to spread kindness and bring smiles to the kids I come across," he wrote on Facebook. The trip will begin in Milwaukee.

"It's always good to step outside the box a little," he says.

The schedule is subject to change but will take them to all 48 contiguous states. They plan to be in Montgomery on Oct. 12.

Rodney says he wasn't a big fan of mowing grass when he was growing up. But he's changed his mind about It now. "You can't get tired of doing something you love," he says.

For more information about Raising Men Lawn Care Service, visit www.weareraisingmen.com.