Occupy The Corner event offers job training, fun for Detroit residents

DETROIT (WJBK) - Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Sheffield is teaming up with police and local celebrities are teaming up to take back the neighborhoods.

It is all happening at the corner of 14th and Euclid for Occupy the Corner, running from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Friday night. It is the fourth year in a row that Sheffield has tried to make neighborhoods safer with the event.

This started back in 2014 with the aim of connecting Detroiters with the resources that bring hope. There are opportunities for job training, utility assistance, housing assistance, healthcare, even felony expungement.

There will be free food, refreshments even haircuts. Sheffield fell has even declared June Gun Violence Awareness month.

"We started off with maybe 100 or 200 people and I think last year we had over 400, 500 people that showed up," she said. "People are excited about it. They love when it city government comes right to them. So they don't want to have to go downtown all the time.

"They want people to come to them. They want to see government be accessible and that's what this is all about - bringing city government to the people, coming right to their backyard, reaching people where they are.

"We're making sure we are empowering them with the information they need and really giving them hope and encouragement."

It is at the Joseph Walker Williams Recreation Center in Detroit at 14th and Euclid. If you can't make it and still want to look into some of the services, Sheffield said she can be reached at her office at (313) 224-4505.