The Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health is proud to share the winners of the City of New Haven Pinnacle Awards.
The Pinnacle Awards recognize individuals who have made major contributions to the New Haven community. Several people from the food community were nominated, and two were honored. Billy Bromage and Annie Harper, received their awards on December 8 at City Hall.
Harper's citation states:
“Annie Harper, the CMHC Financial Health project leader, has thoughtfully and with determination and grace (assisted) in the unique sector of aiding fixed income disabled persons, a mission aligned with the goals and aspirations of our New Haven Community Services Administration. Your role and your contribution as a member of the Mayoral Financial Empowerment Commission will forever be noted as our residents transition from financial insecurity to the belief that yes, I can. You have consistently taken on leadership roles and made personal sacrifices of time and resources to assist the city of the New Haven in both act, deed and spiritual outreach to those most in need, and for this we honor (you) with the CSA Pinnacle award. We recognize Annie Harper as a truly wonderful civic leader and civic participant”.
Harper has lived in New Haven for 15 years. After completing her PhD in social anthropology at Yale, she transitioned from an academic focus on urban poverty and inequality in Pakistan, to understanding similar issues on the ground in New Haven. She worked on urban sustainability with the Yale University Office of Sustainability’s Community Carbon Fund for three years, and now works at the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health and the Connecticut Mental Health Center. She is also an associate Research Scientist in the Yale Department of Psychiatry.
Her main focus is to work with those who are poor, and who are not well served by the mainstream financial services industry, to bring about systemic and structural change to ensure that they receive the support and services they need to improve their financial well-being and reduce financial stress.
Billy Bromage has worked in the New Haven community for several years. Billy works at the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health and the Connecticut Mental Health Center, and is also a lecturer in the Yale Department of Psychiatry. He has worked diligently alongside people in mental health recovery to increase their participation in the community and to improve the community overall in the process.
Billy has been a champion for mental health clients and for the food insecure in New Haven. He is one of the co-chairs of the Food Access Working Group of the New Haven Food Policy Council and has been a main force in helping to implement and expand both summer meals and supper meals throughout New Haven. His ability to advocate for those in need and collaborate across stakeholder groups makes him a unique player in the food community. He is always willing to fight for what is right and what is needed no matter what the obstacles are.
Billy’s focus is always for the individual and the community health at large. He is someone who prefers to do the work than to sit on a committee to discuss the work, and because of his efforts many people have been fed and cared for in New Haven. Of all of his work, Billy is most proud of being a husband and father of five wonderful children. He is a great father and great example to our community of someone who not only cares but takes actions to make New Haven a great place to live.