Tim’s passion lies in the power of giving. That’s why we operate Generously Growing Impact (GGI) stores – large-scale social good thrift stores designed not just to move merchandise, but to create a wellspring of generosity. Tim emphasizes, “Last year alone, we repurposed over 2 million items and raised nearly $5 million. Those funds go directly towards supporting our global initiatives.” It’s about taking everyday acts of generosity – donating clothes, shopping for a bargain, repurposing items – and transforming them into tangible change for families across the world.

Pictured above: Many Hands’ Merle Hay (Des Moines, IA) Thrift Market

Our impact goes far beyond the walls of our GGIs. Tim is a firm believer in a comprehensive and sustainable approach. He explains, “In Haiti and the Bahamas, we partner with families, addressing six key areas: education, leadership development, agriculture, safe homes, medical assistance, and economic development.” 

Tim doesn’t just talk about big-picture solutions; he champions the importance of empowering individuals. One example is his advocacy for people with lower limb disabilities. Tim shares, “We’ve been able to provide over 560 individuals with ‘PET carts’ – personal transportation carts. This restores mobility and allows them to participate actively in their communities, even planting gardens in our raised garden beds.” It’s a powerful reminder that by addressing individual needs, we can strengthen communities as a whole.

 Pictured above: Left, Girl rides a PET cart and Right, Schoolboy from MH’s School of Light

Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of Many Hands is the sense of shared purpose, for everyone involved. The Impact Journey is a chance to experience this firsthand. It’s more than giving back; it’s a transformative experience where you share your strengths, discover the power of collective action, and be inspired by everyday people making a difference.

Anyone is invited on the IMPACT Journey. As Tim says, “It’s an experience where people go to see God’s love and action through community. We all transform together. I am just as broken as the people I serve in places like Haiti, the Bahamas, it just may be that my brokenness looks different than their brokenness.” 

Pictured above: IMPACT team in Abaco, Bahamas, 2023

But there are strengths within everyone right alongside brokenness. Tim explains, “I have strengths to give. I’m not going to minimize myself. I have strengths to give and they have strengths to give me as well. And the cool thing is, when we really come together and we collide with a global world, we start to see that they have the same brokenness and the same strengths and the same weaknesses.” 

Pictured above: Tim with a group of kids in Haiti, 2018

So what’s the point to all of this? Why does Tim continue to do what he does everyday? He says, “Together, we form a bigger whole. We just try to get people to introduce their story. Our goal is to share thousands of stories of people across the world who are doing incredible things every day and then to help them commit to being love in action in this broken world. We inspire people to go be love in action in their communities.” 

Pictured above: Tim Brand (left) and Tim Van Maanen (right) with orphans in Haiti, 2007

To sum it all up, Many Hands, under the direction of Tim, strives to generously grow impact. We want to ignite generosity within others. We want to build community by sharing stories and by utilizing one’s strengths and weaknesses. 

About Many Hands:

Many Hands is an Iowa-based nonprofit creating local and global life-transformation by strengthening families.  Established in 2008, the organization focuses on six key areas for transformation, including education, agronomy, leadership development, safe homes, medical assistance, and economic development. Each year, the organization reaches at least 25,000 people through their Haitian operations, IMPACT trips, and Many Hands four Thrift Markets located in the greater Des Moines, Iowa area. 

Many Hands is called to transform together, to be love in action, in a broken world.