Charlie's Story Nonviolence Now was founded in 2001 by Charlie Johnstone and his good friend Jamie Porteous. They started the project after Charlie experienced a life-altering event.

Before he began going blind in the early 1990s (as a result of the vision impairing Leber's disease), Charlie had few cares in the world. He was a champion wrestler and a bouncer at numerous clubs. He had a motorcycle and two majestic dogs.

Once the blindness fully took a hold of his eyesight, Charlie's life took a turn for the worse. He could no longer work as a bouncer and had to give up the majority of his lifestyle. On a disability cheque of 900 dollars per month, he could barely even afford to keep his dogs alive.

To get by, Charlie became involved in Hamilton's drug and crime scene. As a result of his involvement in a marijuana growing operation, in August 1998 Charlie was shot in the back of the head with a crossbow by his supposed best friend. He survived intensive neurosurgery and rehabilitation, and later said that he thought there was some greater purpose to his survival - to help youth practice nonviolence.

And so Nonviolence Now came to life. Over the course of its existence, NVN has been involved in the advocacy and implementation of educational programs to stop violence.

Charlie started NVN with the vision of continuing the work and mandate of Priscilla DeVilliers' CAVEAT (Canadians Against Violence Advocating its Termination Everywhere). This organization closed its doors in 2001 after ten years of operation. Charlie's motivation was influenced by his relationship with the DeVilliers family and the inspiration they gave him to move forward after his traumatic ordeal.

Although he still suffers from post traumatic stress syndrome, Charlie has managed to pick up the pieces of what was a life broken by drugs and violence. He is currently a part-time student at McMaster University and an avid student of martial arts (both traditional Goju-Ryu Karate and mixed martial arts). He also undertakes fitness training at the Burlington YMCA, is a pastoral care volunteer at Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital in Burlington, and is a member of the Burlington Mansion Toastmasters.