About this episode

Mandy Hinson shares her journey of service and community support in West Tennessee.

On this episode of Reelfoot Forward: A West Tennessee Podcast, Mandy Hinson, a familiar voice and face to many in the region from her years at West Tennessee PBS, shares her personal journey from growing up in South Fulton to navigating early college struggles, modeling in Atlanta, and even working behind the scenes during the 1996 Olympic Games. Those experiences eventually led her back home to complete her degree and begin a long and meaningful career in public media, where she spent nearly two decades connecting communities through storytelling and fundraising. Today, Mandy serves in community and donor relations at St. John’s Community Services, where she helps support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as families facing housing and food insecurity. She talks about the organization’s person-centered approach, their food and clothing pantry, and the powerful impact of community partnerships in West Tennessee. It’s a conversation about second chances, finding your calling, and the people and places that shape a life of service.

People in this episode

Host: Reelfoot Forward

Guest: Mandy Hinson

Topics covered

• service
• community relations
• public media
• storytelling
• support for disabilities
• food insecurity
• personal journey

Keywords

• Mandy Hinson
• West Tennessee PBS
• St. John’s Community Services
• public media
• community partnerships
• intellectual disabilities
• food insecurity
• storytelling

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: West Tennessee PBS, St. John’s Community Services

Places: West Tennessee, South Fulton

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• Ep. 224: Tennessee Voices, American Stories: Miranda Fraley Rhodes · March 24, 2026 · 39 min
• Ep. 223: Carrie Tipton: Tennessee America 250 · March 10, 2026 · 49 min
• Episode 222: Thomas Batchelor and Fred Bloom: From Tennessee to The Alamo · February 26, 2026 · 34 min
• Ep. 221: Brewing on Higher Ground: Kevin and Stacie Herrell · February 24, 2026 · 41 min

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