Knox Area Rescue Ministries

The information on this page was last updated 5/1/2025. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]


Summary



We achieve our mission through our ministry equation of Rescue + Relationships = Restoration. KARM uses this ministry equation because Jesus used it. He rescued us. He longs for a relationship with us. Through that rescue and ever-present, ever-growing relationship, He restores us. He spent his earthly ministry modeling for His followers the power and eternal impact of investing in others.

Every day of the year, 24 hours per day, Knox Area Rescue Ministries provides for Knoxville's vulnerable and desperate - first supplying rescue services of food and shelter; then providing healthy, supportive relationships; and, ultimately, restoration.


Contact information

Mailing address:
Knox Area Rescue Ministries
418 N Broadway
Knoxville, TN 37917

Website: karm.org

Phone: (865) 673-6540

Email: [email protected]


Organization details

EIN: 620670972

CEO/President: Danita McCartney

Chairman: Trish Wilson

Board size: 18

Founder:

Ruling year: 1964

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 06/30

Member of ECFA: Yes

Member of ECFA since: 1987


Purpose

Since 1960, KARM has helped men and women struggling with homelessness, poverty and addiction to pick up the broken pieces and build a better life-one with a home, job, and loving relationships; a life that is healthy, whole, restored.


Mission statement

KARM's mission is to rescue and restore the poor and needy of the Knoxville area by providing recovery services in Jesus' name


Statement of faith

Donor confidence score

Show donor confidence score details

Transparency grade

C

To understand our transparency grade, click here.


Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters

CategoryRatingOverall rankSector rank
Overall efficiency rating53 of 11308 of 139
Fund acquisition rating208 of 113014 of 139
Resource allocation rating45 of 11308 of 139
Asset utilization rating259 of 113025 of 139

Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20242023202220212020
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
12%5%5%6%6%7%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
9%5%5%5%6%7%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
92%99%99%99%97%98%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
11%5%6%6%8%7%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
8%1%1%1%3%2%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20242023202220212020
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
80%91%89%89%88%89%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
95%94%89%84%77%95%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
74%86%79%75%68%84%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
5%6%11%16%23%5%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
5%8%17%26%42%11%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
9%4%5%4%3%4%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20242023202220212020
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
0.530.870.841.051.011.07
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
3.002.942.402.282.473.29
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
1.762.552.012.402.493.51
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20242023202220212020
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
13.286.776.816.054.433.65
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.070.150.150.170.230.27
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
5.984.015.104.173.732.48
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20242023202220212020
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
9%37%36%24%29%48%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
0%9%11%16%20%39%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
155%73%76%73%70%49%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20242023202220212020
Cash$8,377,698$10,620,833$7,413,920$4,261,527$4,819,132
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$2,217,893$2,167,893$1,688,628$1,339,917$938,752
Short-term investments$6,760,213$6,144,500$4,550,439$4,934,916$417,027
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$17,355,804$18,933,226$13,652,987$10,536,360$6,174,911
Long-term investments$0$0$0$0$0
Fixed assets$21,450,250$17,207,962$16,936,004$14,837,943$13,553,017
Other long-term assets$12,160,775$9,368,721$497,232$637,345$564,263
Total long-term assets$33,611,025$26,576,683$17,433,236$15,475,288$14,117,280
Total assets$50,966,829$45,509,909$31,086,223$26,011,648$20,292,191
 
Liabilities20242023202220212020
Payables and accrued expenses$2,563,299$2,781,127$2,257,123$2,376,855$1,690,549
Other current liabilities$0$0$0$0$0
Total current liabilities$2,563,299$2,781,127$2,257,123$2,376,855$1,690,549
Debt$4,699,013$4,893,005$5,080,647$5,273,195$7,989,315
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$11,501,281$8,891,348$0$0$0
Total long-term liabilities$16,200,294$13,784,353$5,080,647$5,273,195$7,989,315
Total liabilities$18,763,593$16,565,480$7,337,770$7,650,050$9,679,864
 
Net assets20242023202220212020
Without donor restrictions$31,464,744$28,492,087$23,446,759$18,243,668$10,499,949
With donor restrictions$738,492$452,342$301,694$117,930$112,378
Net assets$32,203,236$28,944,429$23,748,453$18,361,598$10,612,327
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20242023202220212020
Total contributions$46,218,617$42,273,048$38,281,432$33,055,644$22,417,966
Program service revenue$0$0$0$0$0
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income$175,793$151,473($16,573)$123$8,957
Other revenue$472,649$404,707$571,657$909,969$456,548
Total other revenue$648,442$556,180$555,084$910,092$465,505
Total revenue$46,867,059$42,829,228$38,836,516$33,965,736$22,883,471
 
Expenses20242023202220212020
Program services$40,397,306$34,001,997$29,224,712$23,189,449$19,207,647
Management and general$1,692,682$1,749,091$1,408,445$902,714$854,941
Fundraising$2,197,885$2,252,283$2,123,217$2,124,302$1,607,104
Total expenses$44,287,873$38,003,371$32,756,374$26,216,465$21,669,692
 
Change in net assets20242023202220212020
Surplus (deficit)$2,579,186$4,825,857$6,080,142$7,749,271$1,213,779
Other changes in net assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total change in net assets$2,579,186$4,825,857$6,080,142$7,749,271$1,213,779

Compensation

NameTitleCompensation
Burt RosenFormer CEO$217,124
Danita McCartneyPresident & CEO$170,837

Compensation data as of: 6/30/2024


Response from ministry

No response has been provided by this ministry.


The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 5/1/2025. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]


History

In 1960, five local pastors began looking for ways to meet the needs of Knoxville's growing homeless population. They envisioned a ministry that would share the love of Jesus Christ by meeting the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of hurting and homeless men who found themselves lost and forgotten in a busy world.

On December 8 of that year, they opened the doors of the Knoxville Union Rescue Mission, located on Fifth Avenue in the heart of Knoxville's downtown. With a new facility and staff fully in place, the young ministry began the slow, yet steady work of rescue and transformation, extending the hands and heart of Jesus Christ to all who walked through its doors.

Responding to the changing face of homelessness and East Tennessee's growing need, the ministry changed its name to Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM).

Over the years, crimes of violence, theft, drugs and human trafficking among Knoxville's homeless have dramatically increased, creating a culture of hopeless despair and resulting in a cyclical lifestyle that many find impossible to escape on their own.

In the very middle of this seemingly hopeless and chaotic situation, Knox Area Rescue Ministries continues to open its doors to our area's homeless and hurting-extending overwhelming biblical hospitality and using our ministry formula of Rescue + Relationships = Restoration to help rekindle lost hope.

Since 1960, KARM has seen change of leadership, expansion of facilities, and the refinement of operational processes and procedures. But one thing has not changed-our commitment to restore lives in Jesus' name.


Program accomplishments

In 2021:
291,787 meals served
937 Women and Children Served
123,012 nights of Shelter Provided
6277 Health Care Services Provided


Needs

karm.org/our-needs