Local Spotlight: Ruth Ellis Center

Ruth Ellis was born in the year 1899 and quickly became one of the most successful African-American women in the country. As the first woman in Detroit to own her own printing company, she made a name for herself as a force to be reckoned with. Soon after her success in the printing business took off, she turned to a life of service.

For more than 70 years, Ruth Ellis acted as an advocate for the LGBTQ community in Detroit and beyond. After coming to terms with her identity within the community, Ruth Ellis did everything she could to create a safe haven for those who felt like they were “set apart from the dominant culture” based on their race, sexual orientation, or both.

Four Pillar Principles of Work

The Ruth Ellis Center strives to honor what Ruth built during her 101 years on Earth. This center was founded on four key principles of work: Restorative Justice, Trauma Informed Care, Positive Youth Development, and Harm Reduction.

With these principles in mind, the Ruth Ellis Center offers an array of resources for homeless, runaway and at-risk LGBTQ youth, and young adults of color in the Detroit area. The center is much more than one central location. This conglomerate is comprised of a crisis drop-in center, the Ruth Ellis Health & Wellness Center, and the Kofi House, which is a center for lesbian and queer women and girls.

Each facet of the Ruth Ellis Center provides helpful resources, advice, and guidance to anyone who needs it. Just like Ruth did throughout her life.

Volunteer at the Ruth Ellis Center!

Turn your free time into quality time by volunteering with the Ruth Ellis Center. There are many different ways to get involved like serving meals at the Drop-In Center, working on facility improvement projects, and more.

Connect with them on Facebook, so you can stay up to date on volunteer opportunities and what projects they have going on right now!