About (2025)

About Us

Charles in a parade

Charlie’s PLACE is named for Charles Parker who, for many years, served the Kalamazoo community. Named by the Kalamazoo Gazette as “Mr. Everything”, Charles’s reputation for excellence in youth programming and community development work is extensive.

His most notable service includes serving as Program Director for the Greater Kalamazoo Y.M.C.A. where he established the Lincoln-Y.M.C.A. program; founder of the Kalamazoo Black Achievers Program; head coach for various sports programs such as football, track, wrestling and judo; founding member of the Northside Neighborhood Watch; and Achievement and Behavior Support Specialist for Kalamazoo Public Schools.

In addition to being an active community leader, Charles is the father of six children and reared countless nieces, nephews, and foster children over the years. Charles believed that it was essential for his children to develop into community leaders, therefore he worked hard to keep them involved in many of the services he was involved with in the community. The seeds of hope he planted in his children enabled them to realize their personal dreams; and now they have been equipped and positioned to help him to realize a personal dream of his own.

In 2013, with the help of his family, Charles Parker founded Charlie’s PLACE—Pursuing Leadership and Community Engagement—an organization that offers educational, athletic, and leadership programs. Charlie’s PLACE hopes to provide an environment that plant seeds of hope, cultivating and developing youth into effective community leaders.

Our Board of Directors

Charles Parker

President

Alisa Parker-LaGrone

Vice President

Tanya Wilson

Secretary

Nicole Parker

Treasurer

TaKarra Dunning

Sergeant at Arms

Teleshia Parker

Director at Large

Calvin Parker Harley

Director at Large

Adrienne Harley

Director at Large

Tiffany Parker

Director at Large

Aaryn Wilson

Director at Large

Lyonel LaGrone

Director at Large