About Awake Ministries
Awake Ministries, based in Shelbyville, Kentucky, is a faith-based nonprofit dedicated to serving the community through three primary initiatives: a residential addiction recovery program, a large-scale food bank, and a coffee shop, Awake at the Paddock.
These programs aim to provide recovery, nourishment, and vocational opportunities to individuals in need — all at no cost to the people they serve.
Brandon Gossett, the Director of Operations, oversees the day-to-day business, financial, and HR-related functions at Awake Ministries. In one word, you could say, he’s busy.
The Challenge
While Brandon himself joined the team about six months ago, Awake Ministries has been growing — rapidly – over the past few years.
“We've known for some time that our food bank was one of the largest in our region,” said Brandon. “But we just learned recently that we may very well be the largest single food bank in the state.”
“A big challenge for us is that we are a relatively small ministry and small nonprofit, but we have seen a lot of growth in the last couple of years — and, as expected, when you're growing in any capacity, you're also probably spending more money. That means more transactions and more things to keep up with, more moving parts,” Brandon explained.
With a growing organization and limited internal resources, the ministry needed expert financial oversight without the burden of hiring a full-time accounting professional.
Thankfully, Awake Ministries partnered with BELAY Accounting Professional Jennifer before Brandon even came on staff, providing the financial expertise and support they needed to maintain order amidst rapid growth.
The Solution
“As the new person, Jennifer helped me overcome a pretty big learning curve in all things financial, all things QuickBooks, budget-related,” said Brandon. “I was really leaning very heavily on her expertise — and I still do.”
Jennifer’s financial expertise and knowledge of the organization allowed Brandon to onboard quickly and seamlessly without missing any opportunities for Awake Ministries.
“I don’t know how she works her magic, but I know that she does,” said Brandon. “And she’s super responsive, which is one of the biggest benefits for me. I'll just have random questions that come up, partly because I am still new and partly because I'm not an accountant by trade.”
“I’ll ask, ‘What's this line on the budget mean?’ And ‘If we're going to add this new service or increase the level of service, what does that look like?’ Or ‘On the budget, I see this — how do we adjust that?’
“Being able to reach out to somebody like her just for general financial expertise is invaluable. It’s just nice to work with somebody who knows their stuff.”
From reconciling transactions to helping Brandon understand financial reports and budget adjustments, Jennifer ensured Awake Ministries’ financial operations were running smoothly and efficiently.
The Results
With Jennifer’s expertise, Brandon could shift his focus from financial stress to the heart of Awake Ministries' mission — serving the community.
“I would say it's hard to put a number on or to quantify the impact of Jennifer on our organization,” explained Brandon. “Because for every financial aspect of our organization that Jennifer handles, those are minutes and hours and maybe even days that I am able to be available for other things.
“In a relatively small nonprofit ministry like ours, we have so many irons in the fire on a daily basis. Plus, we do work in the addiction recovery space, and that means you have immediate, mission-critical situations that will arise. Having the ability to lean on someone for specialized financial tasks that are not my expertise anyway is huge.
“Because at the end of the day, if your finances are not in order, then your mission is compromised.”
Thanks to Jennifer’s financial expertise, Awake Ministries has grown with the confidence that comes with knowing finances are in order, which, for them, means more people served from addiction recovery services to the community foodbank to job training opportunities at Awake’s coffee shop.
A Stronger Ministry With BELAY
At Awake Ministries, financial oversight isn’t just about numbers — it’s about ensuring their mission thrives. With Jennifer handling the financial complexities, the organization has expanded its impact without being slowed down by financial roadblocks or burdens.
“Growth is a good thing, but it does present its own challenges,” said Brandon to all ministry leaders. “You have to ask, ‘How do I grow in a smart and efficient way?’”
“In a smaller organization like ours — where we are relatively small but large enough to have a lot of moving parts — BELAY is the sweet spot.”
If your nonprofit is growing and you need expert financial guidance, BELAY can help. Get the support you need to stay mission-focused—schedule a free consultation today.