ATLANTA — Over the last few weeks, several abandoned and overgrown lots in Buckhead have seen a dramatic transformation and people have started to notice.
Jarvis Drake said he moved to Buckhead several years ago after growing up on the south side of Atlanta, he immediately fell in love with the area. The lawn care business owner said he just wants to do his part to keep the area beautiful.
“I see people out every day picking up trash and that’s not really my calling, so I was like I got to find my niche and it’s lawncare," Drake added.
One lawn at a time, he is giving back by cutting grass for elderly or disabled people.
"The sweetest person I met was Ms. Jessica and she taught me to pull some weeds that I hadn’t pulled before and I use that all the time," Drake explained.
Drake also takes care of lots and sidewalks that have been neglected, most recently transforming a lot on Northside Drive that's busy with residents walking nearby.
“My girlfriend is the behind the camera but she’s the glue of the whole operation," Drake explained.
The lawn care owner's business partner and girlfriend, Diamond Owens, started posting videos of him online asking the public for feedback on what areas he should mow next.
"I was so proud of him that I thought - let’s record it and get the word out because people need to see positivity," Owens said.
Drake now has a whole YouTube page and has quickly gained a following on neighborhood apps like Nextdoor.
"We get hundreds of comments, and his inbox is flooded every time we make a post," Owens added.
The couple who puts each other first and their business second say they just want to spread positivity and inspire others to do so.
"We’re best friends and we’re partners. We’re in a relationship and we work together but we’re so much more than that and I don’t think I’d want it any other way," Owens said.
If you want to support the couple's efforts, you can learn more here.