Register through the challenge page and submit your child’s challenge-sign photo.

No. Joining the 50 Yard Challenge is free. Your child receives a starter shirt, safety glasses, and ear protection to help them begin serving their community.

Families arrange the equipment they’ll use during the challenge. You can use equipment you already own or borrow from someone you know. If getting equipment is a concern, contact us to discuss your situation.

Families find their own lawns. Ask trusted neighbors or have a parent share your offer locally. Explore our ideas for finding lawns.

Wait for the official shirt, safety glasses, and earplugs before starting.

The challenge welcomes kids ages 8–17.

Yes. Families can join from any city, state, or country.

Kits typically arrive in about a week, but delivery times can vary. If yours has not arrived, contact our team with your child’s name and registration details.

Contact us with your child’s name and the information that needs updating. Send personal details privately rather than posting them in a public comment.

A parent or guardian should accompany their child, coordinate with homeowners, and make sure the work is safe and manageable. Kids can take the lead with an adult’s support.

It’s okay to say no or stop working. A parent should assess the lawn and explain any concerns to the homeowner. Children should never feel pressured to handle unsafe conditions or work beyond their abilities. Review Safety First together.

Yes. Two children registering together share a goal of 50 lawns. Groups of three or more registering together share a goal of 100 lawns. Most of the work should be done together as a team. Contact us if you need help confirming your group’s goal.

Yes, you can take a break. There’s no deadline to finish. Keep track of your progress and pick up where you left off when your family is ready, including in another year.

Repeat visits count; try to reach different neighbors too.

One property, including its front, back, and surrounding yard, counts once.

Mowing, raking, snow shoveling, and qualifying trash cleanup count. Moving items, pet-waste pickup, and moving trash bins do not.

Only when a household member is elderly, disabled, a single parent, a veteran, active military, or a first responder.

Choose equipment that fits your child’s age, ability, training, and the manufacturer’s instructions. A parent or guardian should assess the task and provide supervision. If the yard or equipment feels like too much, decline the work. Review Safety First together.

Yes. Your child’s official program T-shirt is required while serving. It identifies them as part of the challenge and helps us share the mission.

No. A property counts once regardless of difficulty or size.

Cemetery work is not credited toward this challenge.

Take before-and-after lawn photos, an action photo of your child working, and a photo with the homeowner if they agree. If the homeowner doesn’t want to be photographed, take a picture of your child in the yard after the lawn is finished. View the photo guide.

Include your child’s name and the lawn number, such as Alex — Lawn #5. Send the four photos after each completed lawn using one method: text (256) 508-9440, email [email protected], or upload through the Challenge app. See the photo guide for examples.

Respect their wishes. If the homeowner doesn’t want to be photographed, take a picture of your child in the yard after the lawn is finished. Include the usual before-and-after lawn photos and action photo.

Yes. Document each property; undocumented work cannot routinely be credited.

A single missed photo can be accepted; repeated missing documentation is not. Ask us about your situation.

Public-space cleanup needs at least four large bags and before/after photographs.

Yes. Your child can participate in the 50 Yard Challenge and qualify for completion equipment under its existing rules without having photos shared publicly. The equipment will be mailed instead of delivered at an in-person celebration. We respect families who prefer to keep their child’s photos private.

Permission for us to share photos publicly is required for Mower of the Month, scholarship opportunities, and any other opportunity specifically identified as requiring public photo sharing. If you select No, your child will not be eligible for those opportunities. Other eligibility requirements still apply. Sharing photos helps us show supporters the young people their support reaches.

This requirement applies to nominations and applications submitted on or after November 6, 2026, including those from existing participants. Earlier nominations, applications, and completed awards are not changed by this update.

You do not need to post on your own social media accounts. Required acceptance and progress photos are still sent privately for program review. Public photo sharing is a separate choice.

Winter and Special Edition participants have the same public-sharing choice; their existing participation, completion, and equipment-availability rules still apply. See our Privacy & Photo Use Policy for details.

A program shirt, safety glasses, and earplugs.

Start in white. Earn orange at 10, green at 20, blue at 30, red at 40, and black at 50 lawns.

A standard push mower, string trimmer, and blower. Self-propelled and riding mowers are not the completion equipment.

Yes. If noise sensitivity is a concern, contact us about equipment options.

Absolutely! Keep helping neighbors at a pace that works for your family, using the same care and safety practices. You can also explore the Special Edition challenges for finishers.

Our kids serve elderly neighbors, people with disabilities, single parents, veterans, active-duty service members, and first responders. Help depends on whether a participating family is available nearby.

Use Find a Volunteer to check your state and city and request help from a local family.

No. A listed location shows program participation, not guaranteed availability. Parents and guardians decide which requests their family can safely accept, and availability may change during the school year.

The finder lists participating locations. If your city is not listed, contact our team to ask about your area. Local help depends on participating families and their availability.

If you have not heard from a participating family after several days, contact our team. We can look into your request, but a response or lawn-care visit cannot be guaranteed.

Small to medium yards suit young volunteers best. Severely overgrown properties may require professional help. Read our service expectations.

Yes. Open the 50 Yard Challenge app, sign in, and upload your completed lawn photos there. Choose one submission method for each lawn and include the correct lawn number.

Request a shirt with your child’s name, shirt color, size, and mailing address. A request is reviewed by the team; receiving a confirmation does not mean a shirt has shipped.