We were lucky to catch up with Kara Finger recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kara , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the most important things small businesses can do, in our view, is to serve underserved communities that are ignored by giant corporations who often are just creating mass-market, one-size-fits-all solutions. Talk to us about how you serve an underserved community.
I have had the honor of working as Wesley House Community Center’s executive director for 3 1/2 years. We serve one of the most under resourced communities in Knoxville. We are able to provide affordable, quality, and accessible childcare, fight food insecurity, and provide social support for senior citizens experiencing social isolation. I think for most people it is easy to ignore or overlook what is going on in their backyard. I did not realize how little resources and support were in our community. We have one grocery store, but 13 predatory lending facilities. We do not have a public library in our community. We try to step in and support our community and meet these needs. We cannot do it by ourselves.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I knew from a very early age that I wanted to be in some sort of helping profession. I never could clearly picture what that might look like. While I was in college I had the opportunity to complete an internship at a local non profit. I knew from then and there that I wanted to be in the non profit field. I learned so much from that internship. I had led a fairly sheltered life. So, when I had the opportunity to sit across the table from people different than me, I learned so much. It absolutely completely changed my life and changed my perspective and outlook on life. I’m extremely passionate about bringing equity into all walks of life.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
As an organization we had to pivot during the pandemic. We were only open 20 hours a week. When schools closed, we had to go from 20 hours a week to 50 hours a week to support our families to the best of our ability. We needed to find funding, staffing, and a way to keep our children and staff safe. We managed it and continually changed directions as we learn more and more.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
The biggest lesson that I had to learn was that someone has to pay for services or something to feel invested. We opened a food pantry in 2020. We have had the best experience with our community members that use the pantry. They will help organize, volunteer regularly, and even have mopped our floors. People care – it usually depends on how you treat them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wesleyhouseknox.org
- Instagram: wesleyhouseknox
- Facebook: wesleyhouseknox