The CHARLES Foundation is a Philadelphia-based non-profit organization created to help at-risk children. Our work is centered on improving the lives of young people, bringing opportunities to our neighborhoods, and working to end gun violence.

Updates and Events

Other events are listed on our CALENDAR page

THE CHARLES FOUNDATION HAS BEEN DESIGNATED A ZONE OF PEACE ☮️

The purpose of the Zones of Peace initiative is to recognize and honor organizations that are pioneering creative responses to violence.

The CHARLES Foundation family is the creator of CARES which sits in the DA’s Office to provide wraparound support for co-victims of homicide. The Foundation was instrumental in creating Heeding God’s Call Memorial To The Lost homicide tee shirt exhibit and Souls Shot portraits of gun violence victims.

The Foundation provides conflict resolution, anger management, life skills, juvenile diversion support, financial literacy, community food distributions and survivors support for victims of gun violence. They facilitate youth empowerment cohorts, community healing circles,and youth education and employment opportunities to address the social determinants of community violence.

PHOTOS AND VIDEOS: THE CHARLES FOUNDATION’S YOUTH WORK PROGRAM

The CHARLES Foundation hosts a youth work program for young people aged 14 to 18 years old. Our goal remains to protect our communities on both sides of the gun. We have to keep our young people from the prison and from the cemetery. We do that by addressing the social determinants on violence; at the top of the list is poverty. We pay these young people $20 an hour to clean, green and beautify the community. We also teach them anger management, conflict resolution and financial literacy. We do not solicit funds. All of our work is done in memory of our beloved Charles and Donte’ Johnson, killed ten years apart- both in cases of mistaken identity.

Congratulations to Producer and Director Marco William on the premiere of his documentary “Murders That Murder,” which is based on our Founder Movita Johnson Harrell’s unstoppable fight to protect people on both sides of the gun!! Join watch parties around the world as it premieres on PBS POV

Photos and Videos: The 12th Annual Family & Friends Day

Join us for our

12th ANNUAL FAMILY AND FRIENDS COMMUNITY DAY OF HEALING

***August 5th from 12pm to 4pm***
***Saving Lives and Creating Hope***
***Eliminating victims on both sides of the gun by promoting healing and community cooperation***

The DONTE Initiative

We have created The DONTE Initiative: Developing Opportunities that Nurture Teach and Empower to provide employment, skill and housing opportunities to young people to prevent them from becoming victims on either side of the gun.

Youth Work Program

We are grateful to our partners that help us to provide opportunities to young people to keep them safe and off of the streets.

Remembering Donte’

Remembering our beloved Donte’ Johnson, who was shot and killed in a random drive-by while on vacation in California on March 5th 2021. This occurred ten years after his younger brother Charles was killed in a case of mistaken identity.

**Youth Healing Circles addressing trauma to reduce community violence**

Dr Martin Luther King Jr Day of Service addressing the gun violence pandemic at Girard College

CHARLES Foundation Soul Box Project

Creating memorial boxes for victims of gun violence

Media: 11th Annual Family & Friends Day

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES 2022

The March For Our Lives Philadelphia Chapter joined national in hosting 300 marches nationally on June 11th. More than 200 supporters gathered and marched in West Philly stopping at three homicide sites and ending at Wyalusing Park, a designated Safe Zone managed by The CHARLES Foundation

Purchase tickets HERE

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Photos from CHARLES’ Annual Holiday Party!

"Circle Up"

The CHARLES Foundation hosted "Circle Up" Community trauma recovery circle with therapist Ronald Crawford, author of "What's Free" and creator of Hip Hop Therapy. Our communities are inundated with trauma. We are working to address the traumas of gun violence, addictions, systemic racism and mass incarceration.

Participants received complimentary copies of "What's Free", "Shook One" by Charlemagne Tha GOD and "Grief: The Event, The Work, The Forever" by Lisa Zoll and Lynn Shiner.

Thanksgiving events! Please join us!

For both events: Register or sign up to volunteer via our contact form

PHOTOS & VIDEO: "Trunk or Treat"

PHOTOS & VIDEO: Peace Planting and Self-Sustaining Garden with Representative Roni Green

Photos: Peace Planting and Self Sustaining Garden Project

It was a great day at Wyalusing Park. We planted lima beans, mint, strawberries, sweet potatoes, basil and mums. Thank you to our partners at the Sappho and Laroyce Foundation, West Philly Together and Representative Roni Green. The children were provided with planting education and activities, breakfast and lunch. We also distributed food to the community and the planting participants courtesy of SHARE Foods.