Andrea Ellis has worked in the Mother Waddles mission for 50 years, and has run it entirely on her own for the 25 years since her mother died in 2001.

Andrea Ellis is 80 years old. She and the Mission have given away millions of dollars' worth of food, clothing and services to the community with little public notice.

Beginning at 11:30 am on Friday, September 4, 2026, at the Rosa Parks Transit Center, 360 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, Mother Waddles Perpetual Mission under Ms. Ellis, with volunteers, will hand out food, clothing and love to Detroit's poor and homeless.

Mother Waddles Perpetual Mission has run outreach events like this one, and helped individuals in need directly, since 1956.