Bette Peoples holds up the inaugural Father John Ayoob Humanitarian Award on June 27 at the Vagabonds Center. At left is Roger Kelly, executive director of the Irene Stacy Center, at at right is Father John Ayoob.

BUTLER TWP — Bette Peoples received the inaugural Father John Ayoob Humanitarian Award on June 27 at the Butler Vagabonds Center.

The award is given by the Irene Stacy Community Mental Health Center.

The mental health center plans to give the award annually to a person who has shown commitment to individuals who are fighting mental illness, substance abuse and developmental disabilities, according to a news release from the center.

Peoples is the director of the Grapevine Center, a mental health consumer-owned and operated drop-in center in Butler.

She also serves on multiple boards and Pennsylvania state committees. She was chosen for the award because of her advocacy for mental health consumers and her commitment to those who struggle with mental illness, according to a report from the Irene Stacy Center.

The award was named in honor of the Rev. John Ayoob, who spoke at the ceremony and presented the award to Peoples. He was the director of the consultation and education department at the center for 22 years.

He now is the pastor of St. Margaret-Mary's church in Moon Township, the news release states.

In the past, he was associate pastor of the St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, St. Christopher's in Prospect and St. John's in Lyndora.

About 100 people attended the reception.