For nearly
four decades, the Reverend Charleszetta Waddles known as “Mother
Waddles” devoted her life to providing food, hope and human
dignity to downtrodden and disadvantaged people in Detroit. She
was born Charleszetta Lena Campbell on October 7, 1912 in St. Louis,
Missouri. She was the eldest of seven children and taking care of
others came naturally to her since she took care of her brothers,
sisters and neighbors. She dropped out of school at the age of 12
to help support her family. She was married at the age of 14. Her
first husband Clifford Walker died in 1926; she married again and
divorced her second husband in 1933. She had moved to Detroit with
the hope that her husband could find a better job. What welfare
did not provide she managed to scrape together on her own. She would
sell barbeque to raise money for her family. Charleszetta met her
third husband Payton Waddles while she was selling barbeque at a
church fund raiser.
As a child, Charleszetta had witnessed poverty when her father had
lost his barbers job because he had gotten a skin disease from a
customer. His business was ruined overnight and he was never able
to make a decent living again. He would stand on street corners
for hours at a time. When he died few church members attended his
funeral. She would identify this as one of the most traumatic experiences
of her childhood. This period would influence the course of her
life and of her work.
Charleszetta Waddles was 36 years old and the mother of ten children
when she began her mission against poverty. She had learned that
a neighbor with two children was going to lose her home. Mrs. Waddles
collected donations of food and money to help her neighbor save
her home. This was only one of her early acts of community concern.
In the late 1940’s, Charleszetta began holding prayer meetings
in her home for small groups of ladies. She emphasized practical,
charitable actions rather than religious rhetoric. “No one,”
she told her friends, “is too poor to help those who are less
fortunate.” She advised each one to take a single can of food
from her own shelf and give it to someone in need.
Following a period of diligent bible study, Charleszetta Waddles
became an ordained as a minister in the First Pentecostal Church.
She was later re-ordained, in the International Association of Universal
Truth. In 1950, her religious teachings gave shape and inspiration
to the founding of the Helping Hand Restaurant. In Detroit’s
skid row surrounded by flophouses she offered meals for as little
as 35 cents. Unlike the “soup Kitchens” of the depression
era, where the destitute lined up with a tin cup for a handout,
Mother Waddles’ establishment boasted of white tablecloths,
a flower on every table and uniformed waitresses. Those who could
not pay could eat for free, while those who could afford to often
paid as much as three dollars for a cup of coffee. At first Mother
waddles did all the cooking, dishwashing and laundry herself, but
as time went by, dozens of dedicated volunteers joined her. The
restaurant remained open until 1984 when a fire forced its closure.
In 1956 Waddles convinced an inner-city landlord to let her use
a vacant storefront at no cost. It was at this property, located
in a crime-ridden area of Detroit that she established, Mother Waddles
Perpetual Mission for Saving Souls of All Nations. Its name was
later shortened to: Mother Waddles Perpetual Mission. Fires, financial
setbacks and other problems forced the mission to move several times
over the years, but its spirit and goals remained the same. Thousands
of needy people walked through the doors of the mission. At times
over 200 volunteers were available to help provide for and assist
the needy.
In addition to helping people, Mother Waddles, started innovative
programs for the disadvantaged. Classes in typing, dressmaking,
machine operation, upholstery and cooking were among those thought
at the centers. A free medical clinic, job counseling and placement
were available through the mission.
Mother Charleszetta Waddles received numerous city, state and national
honors during her lifetime. She was motivated with the desire to
love and help people. “…anyone can lose their job and
need assistance…” It happened to her, but it did not
keep her down. She worked 12 hour days until she was 82 years old.
Mother Waddles died on July 12, 2001 at the age of 88.
Born: October
7, 1912
Died: July 12, 2001
Buried: Section S, Lot 109
