A Des Moines leader has one goal for his community center — to house city resources under a single roof.
Lou Parks, founder and executive director of the nonprofit All About Kids, is opening the doors to the Lucille Parks Community Center at 323 University Ave. Friday to show off the 4,000-square-foot space he hopes will become an access point for youth and families. Parks’ organization, which offers youth mentorship, shares the space with Mothers Against Violence (MAV), a nonprofit that supports families impacted by violent crimes.
The open house event is from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, followed by MAV’s ribbon-cutting ceremony from 5:30 to 6 p.m.
Lucille Parks Community Center on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, in Des Moines.
Parks says his partnership with MAV founder Calvetta Berry is critical to their mission in addressing issues around youth violence. Their services are part of a patchwork of local programs helping at-risk youth and marginalized communities heal and find positive outlets. And, with both organizations in the same building, they can make referrals to each other on the spot.
“Now we can go and walk right down the hallway to Calvetta,” Parks said.
Berry told the Des Moines Register she’s excited to have a permanent spot for her nonprofit and to work more closely with Parks and other “like-minded people” seeking to create positive outlets. A former administrative building for MercyOne, Parks’ two-floor community center includes conference and office spaces and a basement community room. These areas are versatile and can host conversations between parents and their children, family-friendly activities, volunteering or launch new programs.
From left: Mothers Against Violence founder Calvetta Berry and All About the Kids Iowa founder Lou Parks stand for a portrait at Lucille Parks Community Center on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, in Des Moines.
“I come from low-income Chicago,” Parks said, “and one thing that we had is we had the space and we had the community. And it wasn’t about money. It was about people coming together, wanting to see the youth change and have an opportunity.”
Parks said he grew up on Chicago’s South Side where gang violence was prevalent and came to Iowa years ago to play college basketball. The scholarship he received to play ball was his ticket out and a path forward.
A photo of Lucille Parks, the center’s namesake, hangs in the doorway at Lucille Parks Community Center on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, in Des Moines.
While living in Iowa, Parks kept his grandmother Lucille Parks’ advice close: “No matter what you do in life, you can be successful, but you have to always come back, give back to your community.”
The community center, which he named after his grandmother, is a testament to that.
“This is our calling,” he said. “This is our passion.”
Want to learn more?
For more information on All About Kids, visit allaboutthekidsiowa.com. Find Mothers Against Violence on Facebook.
F. Amanda Tugade covers social justice issues for the Des Moines Register. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on X@writefelissa.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Lucille Parks Community Center opens in Des Moines
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