Our Story.

On a cold January night in 2018, our founder was giving snacks to a homeless man outside Memorial Union in Madison, WI. Mid-food transfer, she saw his hands. They were cracked, dry, swollen, and purple. His weathered hands looked painful and she asked what she could do. The man told her that his hands were constantly cold. Most of the time he could not feel them. So, she purchased hot tea for him thinking it would keep his hands warm at least for a couple of hours and left. 

Weeks later, the man and the image of his hands were nagging her. She knew she had to help. The homeless in Madison need hand care and hand warmth in the brutal Wisconsin winters. As of 2016, 2,400 men, women, and children are homeless on any given night in Madison. This staggering amount of people brave some of the coldest weather in the nation and need help. Hearty Hands is dedicated to listening to the ones we serve to provide products and services that are relevant to their everyday needs.