HISTORY

Dr. Robert Lupton, president of FCS Urban Ministry in Atlanta, Georgia introduced a young Chris Martin to the concept of seeing the city as a playground. “Before this, our view of city life was not very positive; we were there to try to fix problems and we expected that would be the path out to the suburbs and the life that we knew. We were wrong.”

Chris Martin and his wife Cindy answer a call to relocate, planting themselves in the Mechanicsville neighborhood of Knoxville, Tennessee. A part of town that, at times has been considered the worst neighborhood in the city. It was in this neighborhood that Chris and Cindy would intentionally serve and love the people around them.

Chris gathers close friends to pray over the vision of starting an organization that would seek to connect communities of resource with communities of need in the city of Knoxville. The first initiatives of KLF began: Mechanicsville Medical Clinic: responding to the medical needs of low-income people in Knoxville’s urban community which now operates as Cherokee Health Systems. SOAR: an inner-city youth program which now operates as THRIVE Lonsdale. Urban Ministry Classes:  conducted with groups of 15-20 people in the Martins’ home inspiring young visionaries who would go on to start important projects such as Compassion Coalition and Agenda for Racial Reconciliation as well as several youth programs and other volunteer work in our city.

KLF assists in the launch of Knoxville Inner City Kids Outreach (KICKO).

KLF continued to struggle financially and serious consideration was given to close operations. KLF was contacted about an opportunity to coordinate home repair projects for low-income homeowners in Knoxville with grant funding. This served as a huge turning point for KLF and resulted in the creation of another initiative, Operation Backyard: connecting suburban church volunteers to urban families who own homes that need repairs.

KLF launches another initiative, Neighborhood Housing Inc. with the goal of helping restore community pride within Knoxville’s neighborhoods by building modestly priced homes and offering assistance with purchase price. KLF starts the initiative Access Leadership Program: connecting urban leaders to resources that help build their leadership capacity.

KLF partners with The Silver Ring Thing: a teenage sexual abstinence program that partnered with area churches. Over 25,000 youth participated. KLF launches the initiative Center for Communities acting as a regional nonprofit training center that would help build the capacity of others and which would eventually operate as Alliance for Better Nonprofits.

KLF launches its mentoring initiative Amachi Knoxville: a passionate response to at-risk youth with a focus on children of incarcerated parents.

KLF acquires Southeastern Housing Foundation (SHF) from Knoxville Christian Community Foundation as another initiative to develop and manage multi-family housing for at-risk and low-income individuals and families.

The Mayor of Knoxville’s Office, Bill Haslam, invited KLF to be a partner in the Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness and KLF started to work on identifying, developing and operating permanent supportive housing complexes through the Southeastern Housing Foundation Initiative (SHF).

KLF’s SHF begins the acquisition process of Flenniken Elementary School that will become a facility for formerly chronic homeless individuals.

KLF starts the initiative Homebuyer Readiness Program: a one-on-one financial coaching program designed to teach financial literacy while repairing credit in a step-by-step process toward homeownership.

KLF’s SHF became owner of Flenniken Elementary and began renovation of what will become Flenniken Landing.

Flenniken Landing opens its doors to residents.

KLF acquires a workforce development program from local churches that was created during the recession called Job Clubs and revamps it to be KnoxWorx, a system focusing on individuals by creating custom designed employment processes. KLF’s SHF acquires Sutherland Square Affordable Apartment complex.

KLF takes their expertise from the development of Center for Communities and launches the Alliance for Better Nonprofits, a training, consulting and resource center serving nonprofits throughout the 25 counties of East Tennessee by building their capacity to be more efficient and effective in fulfilling their missions and serving their communities. KLF wrote the business plan, launched and operated Alliance for Better Nonprofits until 2017.

KLF completely renovates the 125 year-old iconic Knoxville Landmark: The Regas Building using it as its new headquarters and transforming it into a nonprofit resource center. KLF’s SHF acquires and renovates Dunlap Gardens, an affordable apartment complex, bringing SHF to won 4 complexes with a total of 158 apartment units.

Dr. Jerry Askew becomes CEO of ABN in Chris Martin's place serving 25 counties with over 300 members.

KLF acquires another initiative in the pre-existing program of Compassion Coalition: designed to inform, equip and connect churches to transform lives and communities through the love of Christ. KLF acquires the Elm Street Facility to house Operation Backyard and KnoxWorx.

KLF continues to dream about new ways to weave the fabric of our community by connecting communities of need with communities of resource.