It’s the question I hear most often. It comes up in phone calls, email replies, and quiet conversations with our most dedicated partners. It’s asked with worry, honesty, and sometimes, a little defeat. And it’s understandable, given the headlines.

The question is simple: “Tim, with everything going on, is Many Hands still even working in Haiti?”

My answer is definitive, unwavering, and rooted in the unshakable faithfulness of God and our team: Yes. Absolutely, Yes.

Not only are we working there, but over the last five years—the very years that saw the assassination of a president, two major earthquakes, a worldwide pandemic, and the explosion of gang violence—we didn’t retreat. We didn’t shrink. We grew.

This story is not about our courage; it’s about God’s commitment to the broken people of Haiti and the effectiveness of a faith-based non-profit model built to stand firm in the chaos.

The Mandate: Love Tough When It’s Toughest to Love

Since 2019, the world has correctly identified Haiti as a nation in deep crisis. The political and social volatility has intensified, and the reports of anarchy and catastrophic hunger are sadly true. This is the reality. And yet, this extreme difficulty has only clarified our mission. Our work isn’t meant for the comfortable times; it’s designed for the desperate times.

The answer to external chaos has been an internal, faith-based strategic discipline. Over the years, God gave us guiding words that prepared us for this very season:

• In 2020, our word was Steadfast, meaning resolutely firm and unwavering. It was the command to charge forward, not retreat, as the initial crisis hit.
• In 2022, our word was Strategic, guiding us to deploy resources with precision to bring shalom to the chaos.
• In 2024, our word was Selah, a command to pause and solidify our organization as a rock and strong fortress before the next wave.

This isn’t just spiritual language; it’s our operational blueprint. When gang violence makes the streets of Port-au-Prince impassable, our action is to empower our local Haitian staff, who live in Pignon, to be the hands and feet of Christ. We are not just surviving; we are fulfilling the commitment to be Love in Action in a broken world. We choose to love tough when sometimes it is toughest to love.

Crisis Response: Serving Internally Displaced People (IDPs)

Most recently, Many Hands has constantly adapted to meet the immediate needs of the crisis, including the influx of internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees seeking safe harbor in Pignon. By distributing more than 90,000 pounds of food to those displaced, we met the immediate need, while our holistic programming continued to serve those in need. And our 2026 goal is to distribute 2.5 million meals to those most in need. Our ability to adapt and execute makes us a trusted NGO in Haiti.

The Proof of Presence: Consistency is Our Counter-Action

The question of whether we are still working is often rooted in the fear that money and effort simply cannot reach the people in need. It’s a fair question, but our measurable growth since 2019 proves that with faith, agility, and local leadership, the answer is a resounding yes, it does reach them.

The answer to catastrophe is consistency. While the headlines scream, we continue the long, hard work of building community from the ground up, year after year.

Since 2019, our investment in Haitian lives has not only sustained but also dramatically expanded. Consider the data—the tangible proof of transformation that has broken through the volatility:

Expanded Physical Footprint

We haven’t shuttered campuses; we’ve expanded. We opened four additional centers/campuses, demonstrating our physical commitment to the long haul.

Investing in the Future (Education)

We expanded the School of Light three times, bringing our total student count to well over 218. Our commitment to education now assists over 3,000 at-risk children annually, providing feeding programs to 19 schools. We also graduated 63 adults in literacy programs in 2025, ensuring lasting generational change.

Fighting Catastrophic Hunger

Our commitment to food security has been immense. Through our school feeding programs and First 1,000 Days initiative, we have served an estimated over 8 million meals since 2019. When the U.N. reports hunger, we counter with food on the plate.

Local Job Creation

The ultimate measure of stability is self-sufficiency. Since 2020, we have grown our daily Haitian staff by 77 employees, now standing at 143. This means we are investing directly in Haitian leadership and providing critical income to families.

Spiritual Transformation

Our dedicated Spiritual Shepherds have evangelized to thousands, resulting in over 1,052 individuals accepting or restoring their relationship with Christ since 2016. Our mission is always anchored in the Gospel.

Building the Pyramid of Hope

Our community-building efforts are resolute. We have built 136 new safe homes and installed 1,184 concrete floors in Haiti. We are physically constructing our community, home by home.

This growth in staff, schools, and new believers is not a happy accident. It is the direct result of steadfast action and a courageous belief in the calling to love tough.

Determined Partnership: The Key to Longevity in Haiti

One thing repeatedly said about Many Hands from those we serve is, “You show up and get things done.” One reason for this is the deep trust and commitment of our partners. In a volatile environment, survival depends on strong relationships and accountability, not just willpower. This is why we are a proven, trusted partner to world-class foundations, larger non-profits, churches, and dedicated individual donors. Our decades of operational integrity and agility in complex environments make us one of the most reliable organizations working in Haiti. They choose to invest their resources with us because we have demonstrated operational agility and a steadfast commitment to the Gospel. Our ability to execute in the hardest places gives our partners the confidence that their resources are making it to the frontline. We move forward with the assurance that we are not alone; we are bolstered by a global community of Givers and Doers who enable us to counter chaos with compassion.

We are still in Haiti. The needs are greater than ever, and our transformation vision is now stronger and more resilient. We didn’t retreat; we went deeper into the bedrock to stay for the long term.

We ask you to continue your courageous partnership with us. Your trust is our tactical advantage. It gives our staff the strength to counter fear with faith and chaos with Love in Action. You can count on us to be present, untiring, and focused on bringing hope in tough places like Haiti.

Be blessed,

Tim Brand
Founder & CEO, Many Hands

About Many Hands:

Many Hands is an Iowa-based nonprofit dedicated to transforming together, to be in action, in a broken world. We desire to walk alongside the community and empower individuals and families by focusing on education, agriculture, leadership, safe structures, youth programs, and early childhood development. Together, we can rebuild lives and restore hope, one person, one family, one community, at a time.