25 Women for 2023: Mandy Bianchi makes big impact with kindness

When Mandy Stark Bianchi was a young girl, she and her grandfather would look forward to watching Jerry Lewis on the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Labor Day Telethon every year. “I was so inspired watching how Mr. Lewis used his charm, connections, celebrity, charisma and compassion to educate people while raising money for a cause that was important to him.”

When her grandmother suggested that Mandy collect change to donate, she didn't think twice, recalling, “I got a little can, headed out, knocked on doors and said I was there to raise money for Jerry's Kids. I was surprised at how receptive our neighbors were. I probably raised somewhere around $10, but I was so proud.”

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Her dedication and compassion for others has led to a career in nonprofit management, a commitment to service, and a spot on this year’s list of Tallahassee’s 25 Women You Need to Know.

Mandy earned a degree in Journalism from Florida A&M University and a master’s degree in Business Management and Leadership from Liberty University. She is a 2016 graduate of Florida State University's Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, Tallahassee Nonprofit Executive Program.

Mandy has dedicated thousands of hours to local charities, including Elder Care Services’ Meals on Wheels, United Way’s Reading PALs Program, Good Samaritan United Methodist Church, OneBlood, Leon County Schools’ Lunch Mentor Program, and the Capital City Ride for Hope, a bike-riding, cancer-awareness event that raised more than $1 million between 2006 to 2019 for Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Cancer Center. “I always enjoy helping people,” she says. “And it is also my job!”

Mandy is the Executive Director of Ability1st, a community-based nonprofit organization with the mission to empower people with disabilities to live independently and enhance their quality of life.

“51 percent of our staff and 51 percent of our board members are persons with disabilities. That means that our organization is controlled and guided by those who have lived experience and relate on a deep level to those we serve,” she said. “When I think of individuals living with their own barriers committing to help others in similar situations, it brings tears to my eyes.”

Mandy’s calendar is as full as her heart is big. She serves on the Board of Directors for CareerSource Capital Region and is the incoming chair of Big Bend Continuum of Care Coordinated Entry program, a process developed to ensure all people experiencing a housing crisis have fair and equal access to the community's housing and homeless assistance resources and helps prioritize assistance based on vulnerability and severity of service needs.

She has served in leadership roles for professional organizations, including the Florida Epilepsy Alliance and United Partners for Human Services.

She wants to show people — especially her daughters Lindsay and Emma — that anyone can do anything at any time to make a difference, reminding us that “you don’t have to work for or be part of an organized charity to make an impact. Like Dolly Parton, who has been a silent philanthropist for decades, a person can quietly do something small to provide a little help to someone in need or do something huge that could change a life. There truly is no limit or measure when it comes to kindness.”

Her culture of kindness runs in the family. She is inspired by her mother and grandmother, both of whom modeled generosity and compassion for others. “You won’t see my family’s name on the side of the building, but knowing the kind things they’ve done for countless people is more than enough.”

Mandy’s energy is infectious, and you can’t help but have fun when you’re around her. “Even though we’ve moved around with the military a little over the years, I make it a point to hold on tight to the many people I've met along the way. My friends are one of the greatest gifts of my life.”

“I’ve been officially home for more than 20 years now and don’t ever plan to leave. I’m so happy that my husband and children get to experience life in my beautiful hometown,” she says. “When you grow up somewhere, the people and the places are a part of you. No matter where I go, nowhere compares to the feeling of being held by Tallahassee.”

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 25 Women: Mandy Bianchi makes big impact with compassion, kindness