Nancy Stockman joined Master’s Manna in November 2023 after serving as the Food Pantry Coordinator for the Town of West Hartford for 8 years.  Nancy received a B.S. in Business Administration from Villanova University and also has 20 years of experience in the insurance industry.

Nancy feels strongly that “no one should go hungry” and she enjoys connecting with clients, donors, staff and volunteers while assisting members of the community.

Jeannette Bronsord, Director of Surgical Services, Yale New Haven Hospital followed Master’s Manna for several years as the organization grew to meet an increasing need for services in Wallingford, Meriden and surrounding areas.  As a lifelong resident of Meriden and Wallingford, becoming a member of the Board of Directors at Master’s Manna provided an opportunity to contribute to the community in a meaningful way. Jeannette states, “The philosophy for providing services such as food, clothing, and meals with respect, preserving the dignity of persons served is consistent with my own personal values. I believe this experience will enrich me as a leader and most importantly as a person.”

One of the goals instilled in me by my parents and community, was to leave this place in a better condition than you found it. My involvement with Master’s Manna is a small attempt to reach for that mark. The mission at Master’s Manna is to alleviate food insecurity from the list of monthly issues that people face. Fortunately, we live in a land of plenty, so our daily task is to reclaim the excess and quickly turn it around  to those in need. The fundamental belief at Master’s Manna can be summed up straightforwardly by stating, “Food is not an option.”

Ray has been a lifelong volunteer working with many organizations to give back to the community. He was first exposed to the essential services that Master’s Manna provides when he was a Boy Scout leader and brought Scouts in to volunteer. When Ray retired in 2015, it was the first place he thought of to volunteer.

Ray has found volunteering at Master’s Manna to be a very rewarding and an amazing experience. He learned that helping alleviate food insecurity for families is not the only service we provide. Giving a friendly smile and partaking in small talk may help someone make it through the day.

Ray has great respect for the Volunteers, Staff, and Board members at Master’s Manna. The Master’s Manna team really cares about the communities and families we serve, treats everyone with respect, and provides additional support whenever possible.

Ray will continue his service as a volunteer in the food pantry. He also looks forward to his new role as a Board Member to help build upon the essential services that Master’s Manna has provided to the community.

Linda Craig, now retired, sold her Always Best Care Senior Services business, which she developed seven years ago. The agency provided senior home care to the greater New Haven area. With extensive management experience in pharmaceuticals and oncology diagnostics, Linda used her community knowledge to offer exceptional care to Wallingford and nearby regions.

Linda now applies her skills to help grow Master’s Manna, a non-profit organization, where she volunteers and serves as a board member. She finds joy in giving back and believes it is more rewarding than receiving.  She believes in bring hope to those in need and strives to educate others about the service that Master Manna provides.

Linda is married with two grown children, Christina and Thomas. She enjoys traveling, gardening, hiking, camping, and crafts.

Ian was raised in the UK and came to the USA in 1978 after serving as a residential Social Worker in Edinburgh. He is active in the Greater Wallingford area helping residents access the basic needs of daily life.

Working in semi-retirement in an Export Sales career, with his 3 children launched in their lives and careers, Ian presently serves on the Boards of Master’s Manna, Inc. and the local Toastmasters chapter. He particularly enjoys making connections between people and organizations that are mutually beneficial.

Upon his first visit to Master’s Manna, Ian was cautioned : “when you enter the building the third time, you'll be addicted”. His first visit occurred in 2012.  Ian possesses a natural ability to speak with people, make them feel comfortable and find ways they can volunteer and/or contribute their talents to the community.

Liz was born and raised in Wallingford and educated in local schools.  She and her husband, Jim, chose to raise their family, a daughter and two sons, in Wallingford as well.  Liz holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing with 35 years of experience in local hospitals and currently serving as a substitute school nurse for the Wallingford Board of Education.

After obtaining certification from the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference in Track and Field, Liz coached middle and distance runners at Dag Hammarskjold Middle School, Sacred Heart Academy and Mark T Sheehan High School for a total of 18 years. Liz presently serves on the Board of the Wallingford Historical Society.

Liz looks forward to bringing ideas to Master’s Manna, Inc., after being closely involved with Gaylord’s non-profit EBG Fund for MS.  After learning about Master’s Manna through a friend, Liz toured the facility and thought it would be a fantastic opportunity to be in service with and for such a remarkable Community of people.

Over many years, I have been actively involved in several business and community organizations.   After a friend told me about Master’s Manna, I stopped in, received a tour and decided this was a non-profit where I could volunteer effectively.  I strongly believe in the mission at Master Manna. After visiting a Board Meeting, I was pleased to join the Master’s Manna Board of Directors. The vast amount of Marketing experience gained from my work and other volunteer activities can help me to make a positive impact as a Director.  My experience and love of interacting with people will help to provide some of the basic needs of the organization. I believe I can help Master’s Manna grow develop a network of support.

Jake Gawlak joined Master’s Manna in October of 2024!

Jake is a dedicated leader with over a decade of experience in the food industry. With a passion for servant leadership, community engagement, and team development, Jake has worked closely with individuals from diverse backgrounds, fostering inclusive workplaces and meaningful connections.

As a board member at Masters Manna, Jake is committed to expanding fundraising efforts, strengthening community partnerships, and increasing awareness of food insecurity in the region. Food brings people of all backgrounds together around a shared table. When a community is brought together anything is possible.

“Nearly every moment of every day we have the opportunity to give something to someone else-our time, our love, our resources. I have always found more joy in giving when I did not expect anything in return.” - Truett Cathy

Cameron has been a board member since November of 2024.

Cameron has been the Executive Director of a restaurant based in Wallingford, CT for over 6 years. He is Servsafe certified and a member of a nationwide council developing food safety systems for QSR’s. He is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and uses those skills to reduce waste in processes within his restaurant.

Outside of work he enjoys home improvements, woodworking, cooking, and gardening.

After learning about Masters Manna through a frequent guest in his restaurant (and now fellow board member) Cameron saw this as a great opportunity to give back. Cameron is looking forward to bringing his restaurant experience to Master’s Manna to broaden our impact with the community.

Bill Pappas was the President and CEO of Fosdick Fulfillment. Bill was well acquainted with the non-profit world of the greater Wallingford Meriden area having served on several non-profit boards. Building collaborative partnerships was one of Bill’s strengths. When Bill was first introduced to Master’s Manna, he stated,  “Master’s Manna is the best kept secret in Wallingford”.  Along with an understanding of and commitment to the mission of Master’s Manna Bill brought a willingness and know-how to “leak the secret” and poise this organization for continued growth and success.  Bill’s passion and personal belief was that “Food is not an option.” 

Master’s Manna, Inc., saddened by the loss of his presence, sage advice and guidance,  will continue to emulate his commitment to the end of food insecurity.  Bill Pappas’s life was a bright light in the world and a gift to Master’s Manna.  Bill also supported several other non-profits, to which he held a lasting commitment.  The Board of Directors, Staff and Volunteers agree to perpetually keep the memory of Bill’s passion alive in every way possible at Master’s Manna, Inc.  This was accomplished by naming the Food Pantry at Master’s Manna in honor of Bill and his family – all supporters in the effort to eliminate food insecurity.  The Food Pantry bears the name:  “Pappas Family Food Pantry”.