Hempstead County is evolving. More and more events are happening all the time, the classic, best-kept traditions are being revitalized, and advances are being made in industry, community, and technology. All of these integrations are also being joined with more community partnerships and contributions than ever before. Too many times the statement has been heard, “There is nothing to do here.” Well, that is simply not true. Things are happening all the time in Hempstead County! How, then, can people discover these happenings and also learn all the behind-the-scenes efforts made for them to occur? There are actually a few different avenues for finding out this information, but one of the newest, most entertaining, and in-depth methods of getting the inside scoop of the local scene is The Hope Grown Podcast. 

Hope Grown is a local podcast which discusses how Hempstead County is growing and it is recorded right here in the county each week. Hempstead Hall produces the podcast on behalf of Thrive Hempstead County, the five year strategic plan for growth in Hempstead County. So far, 18 episodes have aired discussing all manner of topics like industry, tourism, economy, community growth, upcoming events, and much more. Each week a special guest is invited to the podcast to bring expertise to the topic at hand. The format of the podcast is set up as a casual conversation between the hosts which allows them to explore these topics in-depth with a clear and enjoyable approach.

These hosts are Amanda Lance, Lindsey Honea, Jennifer Cunningham, and Jennifer Block. These ladies are actually really good friends outside the studio which makes for much laughter and pleasant conversation when discussing these topics. With Kat Daniels, producer and sound engineer, along for the ride as well, this fab five brings need-to-know information about local issues and events in a unique and interesting way. Host Jennifer Cunningham shared with SWARK.Today why a podcast is a great tool for disseminating information. “Podcasts have become increasingly popular over the last few years,” Cunningham said. “They’re convenient because people can multitask while listening from anywhere. Thrive Hempstead County is committed to sharing new and innovative things happening in our area, so I think the Hope Grown Podcast is the perfect way to enhance our mission to build and grow our community while staying relevant.”

Host Amanda Lance shared the sentiment with, “The format  lets us ‘dig in’ with casual conversations about all that makes Hempstead County thrive. It’s a simple and fun way to engage the community and explain some of the ‘why’ around how things happen.” Amanda, who is also the Director Hempstead Hall, shared how the podcast came to be. “Working with THRIVE Hempstead County strategic planning team led to several task forces recommending a county-wide website and calendar tool. Hempstead Hall’s staff is going to be managing the calendar portion for the next several years and since that was in mind, one night while talking with a group of friends in another planning session, it hit me, ‘Let’s do a podcast!’” 

Host Lindsey Honea says she enjoys the podcast because she’s spending time with friends while also doing something positive for the community. “At first I was apprehensive about speaking in front of other people,” Lindsey said. “However, these are all ladies I enjoy spending time with anyway. Really, we’re just having another conversation, except this is more important because it gives people in the community a chance to be heard. Plus, it shows how awesome our town is!”

Hope Grown may be a small town production, but it has big city quality and potential. Each week, the numbers in downloads grow and the amount of listeners increase. These lovely ladies have put many hours of time and effort into this venture, and it shows. Most important is the invaluable information they bring to listeners each and every week about any and all things Hempstead County. And they do it with laughter. 

The Hope Grown Podcast can be found on the Hempstead Hall website, as well as the options for how to listen.

• Amanda Lance

• Lindsey Honea

• Jennifer Block

• Jennifer Cunningham

• Kat Daniels