Anne Calabresi is a long-time New Haven civic leader. She is one of the founders of LEAP and The New Haven Arts & Ideas Festival. In 2013, she began meeting with local civic organizations to find space where people lacking permanent homes or sufficient food could find safety, welcome, warmth, a free healthy cooked breakfast of their choice and shelter from the weather in the morning as an alternative to being isolated outside.

In March 2015, with encouragement and support from John Bradley, then Liberty Community Services Executive Director and initial funding from the Carolyn Foundation, Sunrise Cafe – an independent 501c3 since 2019 – opened as a program of Liberty Community Services.

Bob graduated from the University of Rochester in 1971 with a BA in psychology. He returned to school to study computer programming and had a rewarding career in Information Technology, retiring in 2014.

Bob has been a volunteer at Sunrise Cafe since moving to New Haven in 2016. When not in the kitchen, Bob loves to photograph Sunrise events and share the photos with Sunrise guests. In addition to photography, Bob loves gardening and is an avid bridge player. Bob also volunteered for many years as a basketball coach, tutor in the public schools, and helping out at the local food pantry.

Lynn started her career in the entertainment industry and transitioned into public service-oriented work.  Now, she works with community-based basic needs banks across the United States to evaluate the impact their distribution of diapers and period supplies has on the individuals, families, and communities they serve.  Her recent research includes the National Diaper Bank Network’s Study of Diaper Insecurity, Health and Economic Mobility in the United States, assessing the economic and fiscal impacts of free diaper distribution to families in need. In 2015 when Lynn first moved to the New Haven area she volunteered at Sunrise and she is happy to have this opportunity to be back.

40 years of significant achievement in corporate, entrepreneurial and non-profit environments including: Retired from General Re Life Corporation (Subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway) as Director of Treaties, Assistant Secretary. Previously one of three founders of Connecticut American Inc which was affiliated with then named Blue Cross Blue Shield. Bob is a Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI) and a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU).  He is a board member of the Willoughby Wallace Library (Stony Creek).  Previous non-profit activities include Past President, Branford Jaycees; Past Chairman, Branford Board of Ethics and a Past Member, Branford Board of Education.

Kelli Ray is a native of New Haven and attended the city’s public schools. She completed her undergraduate studies at CCSU with a dual major in Psychology and Criminology and her Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School where she concentrated primarily on the intersectionality between law and religion focusing extensively on the association between trauma, faith, and healing.

During her time at Yale, she successfully completed Yale Divinity School’s Black Church Studies certificate program, while serving as President of the Yale Black Graduate Network and serving on the Graduate and Professional School Senate Community Engagement Committee where she tutored inner city youth in low performing schools. During the summer, Kelli Ray completed a 12-week supervised ministry in London, England, working on strategic organization programming to help achieve Sustainable Development Goals (also known as Global Goals), a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

Kelli Ray has most recently worked as an Episcopal Church in Connecticut’s Racial Justice Resource coordinator during the season of Racial Healing, Justice, and Reconciliation where she helped to address the history of white supremacy; facilitated virtual conversations on racism; identified models of reconciliation around the issue of racism; and encouraged more civic involvement with local organizations surrounding the issue of racism.

Outside of work, she enjoys volunteering, outdoor activities, DIY home projects, and most of all traveling the world.

Elise works for Press & Cuozzo Realtors selling residential real estate in the New Haven area. She is a long time Sunrise volunteer and also volunteers with Columbus House and Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen and has tutored inner city children with the Bridges of Hope. Originally from Ridgefield, CT, Elise moved to New Haven in 1982 after graduating from Fordham University with a degree in Communications. She has worked in advertising sales for WELI Radio and the New Haven Register. Elise currently lives in the East Rock neighborhood of New Haven. She has two grown children, Abigail who works for the US Department of Foreign Aid in Washington DC and Rees who works at Sequoia High School in Redwood City, CA.

Born and raised in Connecticut, Jasree graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a B.S. in Communication. She has worked for organizations such as NBC Universal, The National Diaper Bank Network, The Episcopal Church in Connecticut, and Yale University’s School of Medicine, where she served as the communications officer for the office of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She now serves as a mindset coach and consultant for women navigating their career paths and life changes.

Jasree enjoys spending time with her husband and toddler, exercising, and discussing the benefits of mindshifting on her podcast, The Mindshift Mami Show.

Kevin helped organize Sunrise and subsequently served as a volunteer. He is a long-time volunteer with Loaves and Fishes, IRIS, and FISH, among other organizations. From 1984 to 2014, he served on the non-partisan staff of the state legislature. He and his wife live in East Rock.

Ann trained in Canada as a veterinarian. She also has a PhD in immunology and ran a molecular biology lab investigating new drug targets for the pharmaceutical industry. Ann retired in 2010 and moved back to Canada to care for her parents. While there, she volunteered at St. John’s Kitchen which is part of a wider community called the Working Centre. On her return to Branford in 2017, she volunteered at the Community Dining Room in Branford and at the Sunrise Café. Ann also works with the Friends of the James Blackstone Memorial Library in Branford and runs the free library at Sunrise with some of the donated books.

Sarah is a retired civilian registered nurse of 30 years in conjunction with 24 years in the Navy Reserves. Beginning the first 5 years as a hospital corpsman, she completed her military career as a Commander in the Navy Nurse Corps. She received a master’s and postgraduate degree in nursing from Quinnipiac University. Due to her love of choral singing, Sarah has been a choral member of the New Haven Chorale since 1985 and the Greater New Haven Community Chorus since 2023. Currently living in the Wooster Square area of New Haven, Sarah began volunteering at Sunrise Café in the Spring of 2024 which led to a staff position shortly following.

Ms. Fleming is a former nurse and retired social worker. She spent 25 years working with the Department of Children and Youth Services and 8 years in clinical work with Yale Child Study Center.

She is currently President of the Board of Loaves and Fishes, the New Haven non-profit food pantry and clothing closet. She serves on the Vestry of St Paul and St James Episcopal Church and is a longtime volunteer with Sunrise Cafe.

Dr. Vincent received her BS from Cornell University-New York Hospital School of Nursing, her MA from New York University and her MD from the Medical University of South Carolina. She was board certified in Internal Medicine, Rheumatology and Geriatrics, and practiced over the years in Waterbury, CT, on Cape Cod, and in the greater New Haven area.

More recently Dr. Vincent was a volunteer (licensed) physician at the Hospital of St. Vincent, Merton Center Clinic, Bridgeport, CT and AmeriCares Free Clinic, Danbury, CT
In retirement she is a volunteer (license inactive) at Cornell Scott – Hill Health Center in their Homeless Outreach Program and a longtime volunteer with Sunrise Cafe.