The Ruth Ellis Center is a Detroit area social services agency that serves the needs of

runaway Runaway, Runaways or Run Away may refer to: Engineering * Runaway reaction, a chemical reaction releasing more heat than what can be removed and becoming uncontrollable * Thermal runaway, self-increase of the reaction rate of an exothermic proce ...

homeless Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

and at-risk

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

, gay,

bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...

, and transgender ( LGBT) youth. Among their services are a drop-in center, Street Outreach Program, foster home, and Health and Wellness Center. The center is named after

Ruth Ellis Ruth Ellis ( née Neilson; 9 October 1926 – 13 July 1955) was a British nightclub hostess and convicted murderer who became the last woman to be hanged in the United Kingdom following the fatal shooting of her lover, David Blakely. In her t ...

in honor of her allowing her home to serve as a refuge for African American gays and lesbians as early as the 1930s. Wanda Sykes is an outspoken supporter of the organization after the staff sent her a letter asking her to visit during her 2010 tour's stop in Detroit.

Programs

The Ruth Ellis Center operates three programs.

Ruth’s House

Residential housing program for LGBT youth ages 12–17 who are in the foster care or juvenile justice system. The youth are referred from the Michigan Department of Human Services, Wayne County Child and Family Services, other Michigan agencies statewide, and youth supervising programs in other states. The program includes the following services:

Second Stories Drop-In Center

Provides basic services and safe space for youth and young adults ages 14 to 24. Services and resources include full meals, gender identity support groups, laundry facility and clothing, a cyber-center, and recreation.

Second Stories Outpatient Mental Health Services

Provides mental health outpatient services to LGBT youth.

History

A group of community activists - including John Allen, Kofi Adoma, and Courtney Wilson - founded Ruth Ellis Center in 1999, the same year

was celebrating her 100th birthday. The founders chose to call the program the Ruth Ellis Center in recognition of all the youth Ellis had helped. In September 2000, a 101-year-old Ellis attended the grand opening of the center's first phase, a drop-in center for at-risk youth. In January 2022 it will open the Ruth Ellis Clairmount Center, a center for LGBT people from 13 to 30, including housing and educational facilities. The price tag was $15 million.

References

External links

* {{LGBT in Michigan Organizations established in 1999 Organizations based in Detroit 1999 establishments in Michigan LGBT youth organizations based in the United States Homeless shelters in the United States LGBT culture in Detroit LGBT and homelessness