A First Look Into Programs: HomeCare

“A healing heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Proverbs 17:22

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For our neighbors struggling with homelessness, healing can be multidimensional. No “band-aid” approach can cure what our guests are going through. For us, injuries, chronic illnesses, or mental struggles are hard enough on their own, but adding the layer of homelessness brings a sense of defeat and helplessness. After all, where can they go to heal and rest? Who will take care of them? How will they receive the resources they need?

Knox Area Rescue Ministries answers these questions by adding their support to the equation. Stephanie, the Director of Health Services, wonderfully explained, “When a guest is ill—physically, mentally, or emotionally—these challenges become barriers to restoration. That is where our Health Service team excels. They are guided by Christ’s example of compassion and service as they support our guests.”

KARM has two medical service programs: the Care Center and the HomeCare unit.

HomeCare specifically is geared towards helping guests who have been discharged from a Covenant Health Hospital System, but aren’t well enough to go back to their lives on the streets. KARM gives them a safe place to heal in the community.

I had the honor of shadowing multiple staff members at KARM in the health services department. In HomeCare, I was able to speak with Deborah, Manager of HomeCare, and Susan, Health Services Specialist.

Offering Aid

Deborah helps the HomeCare center run efficiently. “I see something that needs to be done, and I do what I need. My biggest goal is to be a support to our staff.” Most of her days are spent scheduling transportation for appointments, teaching classes, and coordinating with community partners to ensure guests receive consistent care.

HomeCare follows a home health model in partnership with Covenant Health of East Tennessee, offering people experiencing homelessness a place to rest and recover after hospital discharge. Covenant will create the treatment plan, and once guests begin meeting set goals, they are sent to Susan to help support them on the next steps towards stability and housing.

During my time with Deborah, one thing became especially clear: she is passionate about teaching. HomeCare provides educational classes for guests, covering everything from medication management to diabetes care, budgeting, life skills, and Bible studies. “We use everything as a teaching moment—or try to anyway.”

But her passion doesn’t end there. I could tell that she is right where the Lord wants her to be, and that’s at KARM. She said:

“I have a heart for ministry. My background as a medical social worker has been mostly in long-term care, in a nursing home. In the nursing home, which I loved, but here.. I get to talk about Jesus. I get to be a witness. That’s why I keep coming. When I get ready to turn on Broadway every morning, and I look over at that bridge, I ask the Lord to uncover the hidden gifts under that bridge. And I’ve seen that happen.”

About four years ago, Deborah had a health scare, and that shifted her perspective on the guests that she serves. She expressed that if it weren’t for her children, she wouldn’t know where she would be. “For a while, I was pretty needy, so I got to see how others feel when their brain is saying, ‘I can do this,’ but their body is saying, ‘No, you can’t’.” That’s why she makes an effort to be there for those who have no one else to care for them.

One guest she cared for was Regina (pictured above), who now lives in her own apartment. She shared with me how Deborah continually prays for others. She recalled how one day, when she was struggling to breathe, Deborah came to her and calmed her. “Deborah laid her hands and prayed on me, and I felt God immediately.”

She later expressed, “I get sick quickly, so if I had to live on the streets, I don’t know that I would be alive. I know that KARM saved my life.”

As new needs emerge, HomeCare continues expanding its care so guests can experience both physical healing and spiritual renewal. From medical recovery to long-term stability, the goal remains the same: restoration.

Keys in Hand

Susan Dotson is the Health Services Specialist who directly works with those in the HomeCare unit seeking housing, as well as some difficult cases who struggle with mental health issues. Amanda, the Care Center Manager, calls her the “Real estate agent of KARM” because of how Susan works to help guests get housed, whether that’s supportive housing or a skilled nursing facility.

“There are a lot of streets and avenues from A-Z.” It’s not just a one-and-done meeting, but a continual commitment and effort. During Susan’s time with guests, she helps them retrieve important documents to apply for housing and benefits. When it comes to housing, there are only four supportive housing facilities in the area, with a small turnover. This makes finding housing difficult because Susan can only fix part of the problem. In the end, it’s the guest’s choice that determines the next steps. All she can do is offer aid to those who are willing to accept it.

What I came to admire about Susan was how she naturally connects with guests and cultivates a rapport of trust and honesty. She shared with me how there are some days when she has to share the news with a guest who didn’t get approved for housing and offer support. Then there are other days when she’s jumping up and down with joy because they were approved. She said, “I’m often more excited with the news than they are.” Many guests are used to getting their hopes up, and it’s not until the keys are in their hands that the tears come. Because then, it’s finally real.

“I love LOVE my job,” Susan says. She enjoys her position because she is in a rare role that lets her see people from beginning to end. “I’m here for the long haul, as long as God opens the doors, I’m here to stay.”

Healing is multifaceted and can’t be accomplished without the aid of others. That became more apparent as I met with each of these amazing staff members. I hope this article has shed light on this beautiful program that continues to flourish and grow!

By: Laura Lee Cochran; Copywriter

This post is a part of our First Look article series. Its goal is to give you a first look experience into volunteering at KARM while highlighting our
many programs.