A retired pediatric nurse, Wendy Cowles was trained to be observant, so it’s no surprise that she was among the earliest advocates to address a hole in social services: kids who come to school hungry on Mondays due to inadequate food over the weekend. As president of the Branford Food Pantry, Wendy helped to establish Feed Branford Kids, a program that addresses food insecurity seven days a week. The good will she has generated over the years has made her an impressively effective collaborator, linking those in need with those agencies best able to help. As one nominator wrote, “Wendy is an amazing person with a heart of gold who continuously makes valuable contributions to our community!”