Charles Foundation Celebrates 7 Years Of Change
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- An organization, founded by a Philadelphia mother who turned the tragic loss into an agent of change, is celebrating a milestone.
A mother of four, Movita Johnson-Harell runs a business, ran for political office, and was the everyone's house on her North Philly block.
"We had the huge back yard with the basketball court," she said.
But death after death forced her to move her family out of the city, but that didn't stop death from knocking. Her son Charles was shot and killed in a case of mistaken identity while picking up his sister in January 2011.
"When my son was taken, it was like a piece of my heart was ripped out," said Harell.
But the social worker picked herself up and, three months after her son's death, Harell founded the Charles Foundation.
"Charles is an acronym for Creating Healthy Alternatives, Results and Less Emotional Suffering," she explained.
They launched "Be the Change" for youth likely to kill or be killed, celebrating seven years of change.
"It makes me feel my son didn't die in vain," Harell said.
On Saturday they'll celebrate the change with a gala, details can be found at the Charles Foundation website.
