Do you know a SHEro? Then Lyne Landry wants to hear from you.

Lyne is helping to gather 2023 SHEro nomination-story applications open through April 5. The annual awards recognize exceptional women and girls from across the shoreline and beyond.

Founded in 2020, the SHEro awards highlight the efforts and accomplishments of women and girls who are making a difference in the lives of others. As the program describes it, a SHEro inspires others, leads with kindness, has a desire to help others, and is making positive changes in herself or for others in a community.

Lyne, the director of Guilford Youth and Family Services (GYFS), is also a founding SHero Awards committee member. The awards are organized as a program of nonprofit Women and Family Life Center (WFLC). Based in Guilford, WFLC serves Branford, Chester, Clinton, Deep River, East Haven, East Lyme, Essex, Guilford, Killingworth, Lyme, Madison, North Branford, North Haven, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook, as well as assisting in other towns.

In addition to GYFS and WFLC, SHEro committee members include representatives from Branford Counseling and Community Services, Community Dining Room, Clinton Human Services, and Madison Youth and Family Services.

Lyne remembers when former WFLC executive director Meghan Scanlon approached her with the SHEro Awards idea, now fostered under the leadership of WFLC executive director Jennifer Wenderoth-Holster.

“I thought it was a great idea,” says Lyne. “We should celebrate women and girls because we so often get put on the back burner.”

The SHEro committee, which receives and presents a minimum of 30 nominations annually, is proud to recognize all women and girls mindfully nominated by peers, friends, community members, and others. Last year, 37 SHEro awards were presented to recipients from the shoreline and other Connecticut locales.

“It’s based on the shoreline, but we don’t shut anybody out because they’re not from the shoreline,” says Lyne. “We want to hear about these women and girls.”

Lyne compiles the nominations, which also gives her the opportunity to read about the accomplishments and contributions of nominees.

Especially in her capacity as a professional overseeing a municipal agency providing supportive services to youth and families, Lyne notes this award is remarkable in that it recognizes not only exceptional women but extraordinary girls as well.

“It’s so exciting to get nominations about young girls in our communities who are making a difference, who give back. For a young person to do that is so wonderful because you know they’re going to continue to do that throughout their lives and make our communities better.”

As GYFS director of nearly 16 years, Lyne can also speak to the challenges many area youths are grappling with in the wake of the pandemic, based on numbers currently receiving therapy services at her agency.

“With our clinic, of the kids that we see for therapy, we usually have a caseload of about 50. Since COVID, our caseload has been about 100 to 110. I think we’re going to see the effects of COVID and the pandemic and being stuck at home for months; for a long time. There’s a lot of PTSD attached to this that really stunted the development of some of our kids. Some of them did okay and even did well, but there’s a big majority,” that’s impacted, she says.

In 2022, among Guilford’s student population of 3,100, GYFS provided therapy support services to over 300. That’s 10% of all students—truly a significant number, says Lyne.

“We saw 10% of the school population in our mental health clinic. That’s not counting prevention programs and all the programs that we do. But we’re here. We’re here for the community.”

While many agencies and therapy professionals are experiencing an overload of case requests, Lyne is proud to note GYFS is currently able to provide immediate services to all seeking assistance.

“We’re probably one of the only agencies throughout Connecticut that doesn’t have a waiting list,” she says.

In Support of SHEro

Despite the pandemic, Lyne recalls the inaugural SHEro Awards launched in 2020 with considerable support. The first event was held virtually, as was the second.

“We didn’t give up. It was fabulous, even on Zoom—[US Congresswoman] Rosa DeLauro was our keynote speaker. What a perfect example of a strong, successful woman who gives back,” says Lyne.

This year’s keynote speaker is another exceptional woman who gives back: shoreline resident, international business icon, philanthropist, and noted mentor of women and girls, Francine Farkas Sears.

Liza Petra, executive director of both the Branford Community Foundation and The Guilford Foundation, will once again emcee the SHEro awards. This year’s live awards event is set for Saturday, May 6.

“Last year was our first live event, and it’s going to be live again this year. We’re really excited for it,” says Lyne.

SHEro 2023 nomination story-application forms can be downloaded at womenandfamilylifecenter.org SHEro Awards Event sponsorship information and applications are also available at womenandfamilylifecenter.org.