Today we’d like to introduce you to Celia Lively.
Hi Celia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Sure! I’m married to the best man on the planet, Josh Lively. We’ve been married for a little over two years, and he is truly the most fun, genuine, and kindest person I know. We live in Fountain City and both work for KARM. We attend church at Heart and Soul Church, love our friends, and love being part of this community.
I grew up in Crossville, Tennessee, where my immediate family still lives. I am crazy about my family and deeply cherish the time we get together. My parents are the greatest, my siblings are hilarious, and my nephew is the cutest. I’m not the least bit biased either. 🙂 My parents both instilled a bone deep calling of serving others in me for as long as I can remember. My parents both work in healthcare, serve their local church and communities, and live out their faith in a very practical way. They taught me to use whatever privilege I have to serve others, and to do that with excellence. Every where I’ve worked, they’ve shown up, supported the cause with their time and money, and (loudly) cheer me on.
Education and work wise, I graduated from Lee University with a degree in Communications, then moved to Nashville to work for the summer camps division at LifeWay Christian Resources. I worked FUGE Camps for 5 summers, and spent one year in the corporate office helping write curriculum, plan events, and recruit summer staffers. After that year, I went on to get my MBA with a concentration in Non-Profit Management from Trevecca Nazarene University. While in grad school, I worked for an international nonprofit. Our work at the time was focused in the Eastern European country of Moldova and the Amazon region of Brazil. I worked on the Child Sponsorship team, connecting sponsors in the United States with children across the globe, providing monthly aid, letters, friendship, birthday gifts, and more. I learned so much during my time there about relational ministry that set me up to work at KARM.
I’ve been at Knox Area Rescue Ministries for three years, starting out as the Director of Volunteer Relations, and now am the Senior Director of Community Engagement. I get to oversee the marketing, media, events, and volunteers here at KARM. I have the honor and privilege to help connect the city of Knoxville and surrounding areas to give, serve, and learn. It’s the most fun to champion others to give back. I didn’t know a thing about homelessness or its complexities when I started here. I just knew it was the calling of my life to help my neighbors.
I’ve spent my career so far in the nonprofit ministry space. One of my favorite quotes is from author Anne Lamott, “These are the words I want on my gravestone: that I was a helper, and that I danced.” I want to be a helper, and I also want to enjoy it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I am spoiled rotten by the grace of God, so even with the obstacles – loneliness, not getting my dream job, moving to a new city – they pale in comparison to what others have experienced.
I am a person of faith, so a lot of it connects to that. But I can see where the obstacles were preparing me for something better or refining me in a way to become who I was meant to be.
We’ve been impressed with Knox Area Rescue Ministries, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Oh goodness, how much time do we have?! I could talk for DAYS about my love of this place. KARM was started in 1960 as a homeless shelter in downtown Knoxville. We’re still downtown, but our programming has expanded and strengthened in ways that I’m so proud of.
A lot of people hear KARM and think one of two things:
1. KARM Stores
2. A soup kitchen or “three hots & a cot”
I’d love to explain these two things deeper.
1. KARM Stores provides funding for what happens at KARM. To put it frankly, it’s expensive to run a 24-hour, 365 days a year operation. The stores make up about half of our operating budget, and donors, churches, and corporate partners make up the remaining half. KARM Stores isn’t the shelter, they support the ministry with financial support, clothing, Corners of Your Field cards, Coats for the Cold, and so, so much more.
2. Not only do we provide shelter to over 350 people each night and serve nearly 1000 meals a day, we also provide life-changing programming to set our neighbors up to flourish. We have job training, work-force readiness classes, budget training, life skills, relationship building, healthcare, housing, and more for our guests here at KARM. I give a lot of tours of our main campus, and every time I do, the tour attendee looks at me wide-eyed and says, “I had no idea KARM did all of this.”
I’m going to provide several links so you can see some of these things as well:
Main Website: https://karm.org/
FAQs & Numbers: https://karm.org/faqs/
2024 Annual Report: https://karm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KARM-2024-Annual-Report-digital-view.pdf
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Best: The people! Our community is wonderful, and I love the way that people serve at KARM. We have over 2000 volunteers that serve at KARM each year, and I just think that’s really special to serve in this way. Even though I’m not really a sporty person, I love the passion that this city brings around cheering on the Vols. I also love the parades, the festivals, the First Fridays, and more. Josh (my husband) and I try to attend every thing we can and invite our friends in, too.
Least: My dream is to have a fun area by the river, like in San Antonio? A boardwalk, a Ferris wheel, games, etc. I think the area by the river is the most untapped potential and it could be so much fun!
Can you tell that I love fun things?! 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: https://karm.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knoxarearescueministries/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KnoxMission
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celia-grace-lively/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@karm4rescue
- Other: https://thehomewardpodcast.buzzsprout.com/
