OCEAN COUNTY – For more than two decades, Minister Steve Brigham has been a tireless activist for people experiencing homelessness, known as the man behind the encampments that dotted the woods of Monmouth and Ocean counties. But this summer, the longtime advocate has pivoted his approach – exchanging tents and generators for weed whackers and riding mowers.
The official launch of Just Beautiful Lawn Care on July 21 marked a bold shift in Brigham’s mission. Instead of setting up makeshift communities in the woods, he’s now offering those same individuals a shot at self-sufficiency – one freshly trimmed lawn at a time.
“The Supreme Court basically made being homeless illegal,” said Brigham, referencing the landmark 2024 decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson. The ruling allows municipalities to ticket, fine, or even arrest people for sleeping outdoors, even when no shelter is available. And with a recent encampment on the Lakewood-Brick border dismantled in June, Brigham has come to the painful conclusion that establishing new camps is no longer feasible.
“It’s futile,” he said. “They put all the power in the hands of local governments – and they know they’ve got the leverage.”
From Woods To Lawns
Brigham, 65, began his journey some 25 years ago when a man approached him outside a Jackson boarding house. The man couldn’t afford his rent, and Brigham, then part of a church ministry, offered an alternative: a tent and basic supplies.
That single act sparked a ripple effect that ultimately resulted in Brigham creating Destiny’s Bridge, a non-profit organization. The individual who received assistance soon discovered others living hidden in the woods and asked Brigham to help them too. The movement grew – leading to sprawling encampments like Lakewood’s infamous Tent City and more recently, the Winding River camp in Toms River.
Some saw the camps as illegal eyesores. Others saw them as places of community, care, and second chances. Either way, they were temporary.
Brigham said the encampments once provided a rare sense of safety and solidarity for people with nowhere else to go. Though they lived in tents, it was still better than sleeping on park benches. Shelter options remain scarce – Monmouth County offers only limited alternatives, and Ocean County has none at all.
The idea for the lawn business started small – just a weed-whacking gig Brigham took on himself. But it grew when he recognized its potential: low startup costs, low barrier to entry, and plenty of lawns needing care.
With a top-of-the-line zero-turn Bobcat mower, high-quality equipment, and a new truck donated from a supporter’s estate, Brigham began testing the concept. His first few clients were stunned.
“They looked at their yard and said, ‘Wow! That’s just beautiful!’” Brigham recalled. “And that’s when it hit me – that’s our name.”
The business is divided into five service zones across southern Monmouth and northern Ocean counties. Several of Brigham’s early hires have experience in landscaping or tree work, including one man raised in his father’s tree-cutting business in Brick. Unlike most startups, Brigham’s crew consists of individuals who, until recently, were sleeping in the woods, couch-surfing or bouncing between motels.
Still, it’s not just about yard work.
“It’s like Lao Tzu said – give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime,” said Brigham. “The key is sustainability.”
Rather than traditional wages right away, workers are compensated through a combination of in-kind support – food, clothing, and transportation. Brigham also envisions a fund to help pay deposits and rent, creating a bridge to permanent housing.
The approach is tailored, compassionate, and rooted in the belief that the unhoused will benefit from building a foundation together.
Crafting A Future
While the lawn care business can only employ a limited number of people, Brigham has his eyes on a second venture: handmade crafts.
Vacationers flocking to the Jersey Shore often seek souvenirs – and Brigham believes his team can meet the demand with wooden creations like decorative mailboxes, rustic signs, and novelty pieces made using a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine.
“It used to take forever to cut each piece by hand,” he explained. “Now with the CNC, we can mass-produce the parts safely and efficiently. The homeless can focus on assembling and painting them.”
Profits from each sale will go toward helping the workers secure permanent housing, creating a pipeline from the streets to stability.
“There’s real pride in making something people want to take home,” said Brigham. “It gives people a sense of accomplishment – and that changes lives.”
The concept has earned praise from at least one local leader who has found himself at the center of Ocean County’s homelessness debate.
“I do like this idea for a program where you get these homeless folks to do some work,” said Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick. “I’ve come across a lot of able-bodied young people who are homeless. They could really benefit from not only a job, but one that they could ease into.”
Rodrick voiced his thoughts on the complex challenges many unhoused individuals face, including mental illness and addiction.
“There’s an awful lot of addiction out there – I think more than half of these folks,” he said. “And there’s also the mental illness component. That’s why it’s important to have something that isn’t overwhelming, but can still give them structure, a routine, and a paycheck.”
While Brigham acknowledged that some people experiencing homelessness have addiction issues or mental health problems, he finds that’s far from the point. Many of today’s unhoused individuals are seniors and veterans. “The thing is they’re all human beings,” he said. “My bottom line is I’m here to help anyone who’s living and breathing.”
Rodrick believes Brigham’s program will provide an opportunity to rebuild lives. “We would be interested in able-bodied people working,” Rodrick added. “There’s certainly plenty of jobs out there.”
Community Call To Action
As Destiny’s Bridge shifts from simply providing shelter to creating pathways to self-reliance, Brigham is inviting the community to be part of the movement. Support is needed not just in dollars, but in practical supplies that help the effort thrive – bottled water, work boots, lawn equipment, non-perishable food, and clothing.
A full list of drop-off locations and how to contribute can be found on Destiny’s Bridge’s Facebook page.
“Everybody you know is redeemable,” Brigham said. “They just need a positive atmosphere and a second chance. This program is geared to them.”
