For nearly five decades, Wyoming Rescue Mission has been a place of hope for individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction. Founded in 1978 by a coalition of local churches, the organization has grown from providing basic necessities into a comprehensive recovery ministry serving approximately 160 guests through emergency shelter, long-term recovery, transitional housing and sober living programs.
When the mission unexpectedly lost its internal chief financial officer due to a serious health issue, leadership needed a solution that would provide immediate financial oversight without disrupting operations.
They found that solution in CFO Leverage.
Like many nonprofits, Wyoming Rescue Mission relies heavily on key staff members with specialized expertise. When its CFO had to step away unexpectedly, the organization faced the challenge of maintaining financial stability while supporting an internal accountant who suddenly assumed greater responsibility.
For executive director Risa Petrie, who recently returned to lead the organization, the timing added another layer of complexity.
“I came back as executive director knowing and loving the mission, but systems had changed, processes had changed and people had changed,” Petrie said. “It felt like drinking from a firehose.”
The organization needed experienced financial leadership, guidance for its accounting staff and confidence that its financial operations would continue without interruption.
After learning about CFO Leverage through Citygate Network, Wyoming Rescue Mission engaged the team to provide outsourced CFO services.
Initially, the firm became involved in nearly every aspect of the organization’s financial operations, providing CFO-level oversight while working alongside the mission’s in-house accountant. Over time, that relationship evolved into something more than outsourced financial management.
“They’ve not only provided the professionalism and credibility of having CPA oversight, they’ve also really invested in our in-house accountant,” Petrie said. “Through weekly one-on-one meetings, mentorship and coaching, they’ve helped our accountant become much more knowledgeable and confident.”
As the accounting team developed new skills, CFO Leverage was able to transition day-to-day responsibilities back to the organization while continuing to provide strategic oversight.
“They worked with us financially to step back from some responsibilities, which helped save money while still providing the oversight we needed,” Petrie said.
Today, CFO Leverage continues to oversee key financial functions, including audit preparation, cash flow management, finance committee support and board reporting.
Today, Wyoming Rescue Mission benefits from a stronger financial foundation, a more capable internal accounting team and continued executive-level financial oversight.
Rather than simply filling a vacancy, CFO Leverage helped build long-term financial capacity within the organization.
“They’re dedicated, responsible and present,” Petrie said. “They’ve become an extension of our staff, and they’ve given us the confidence to focus on serving our mission.”
