Detroit's Community of Hope event supports those experiencing homelessness
(CBS DETROIT) - An annual event focused on providing resources to the homeless community returned to midtown Detroit this weekend.
Community of Hopes provides a multitude of resources, including meals, food, hygienic products, housing referrals, expungement help and more.
Detroit comedian Leola "Puddin" Stafford shared stories of the adversity she's faced.
"I've been molested, I've been raped, all these terrible things. But I've also been loved," Stafford said.
On Sunday in Cass Park, Stafford spoke about her experiences with homelessness.
"I've been homeless before, and it sucks," she said. Stafford, who has been doing comedy since the early 2000s, says everything had been put on pause.
Stafford says during the pandemic, she lost one of her sons due to COVID-19. Not too long after, she says she lost another son in 2023 due to gun violence.
"Grief has been terrible. So I met a friend through a friend, through a friend who had led me here today because I gave up on comedy. It's really hard to find your way back to laughter, but I'm doing it, so with events like this, I just want to give some joy because I've been down before; I know what that is," says Stafford.