*Goodwill* Community Engagement Volunteer Coordinator VISTA

For over 26 years, the Knox Clinic has been a cornerstone of accessible healthcare in Knox County, serving individuals and families who too often fall through the cracks of the healthcare system. Established on the principle that cost should never be a barrier to care, the Clinic has long functioned as a vital safety net for our community. For over 2 decades, we operated just 1 evening each week, sustained entirely by volunteer clinicians dedicated to keeping our doors open to neighbors in need.

While this volunteer-driven model provided essential care, it could not keep pace with growing demand. In 2020, a Barriers to Care survey confirmed what we were seeing firsthand: despite the presence of a regional hospital and private practices, 2 out of 3 local residents still struggled to access or afford healthcare. In response, the Knox Clinic committed to a bold and necessary transformation, evolving from a part-time volunteer clinic into a full-time, fully staffed Community Health Center. That transformation is well underway. In 2025 alone, we welcomed more than 700 new patients. For many, this represents their first access to consistent healthcare in years, marking not only growth in patient volume but the meaningful restoration of care continuity across our community.