A Goodman's Desserts Received Two Months Free Rent and Resources From New Partnership with Redeemer Lutheran Church
Alan Goodman. (Picture provided by Alan Goodman)
Before this year’s madness, in 2019, owner of A Goodman’s Desserts, Alan Goodman was speaking at a luncheon at the Ambassador Hotel about winning Rev-Up MKE’s fourth competition. While talking about his experience, Goodman had no clue that someone in the crowd would soon become a business partner.
Rev. Dr. Lisa Bates-Froiland, Pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church, was in that audience and she was so impressed by Goodman that she took note to make sure to find a way to support his small business. Within a few months, COVID hit, while at the same time, Pastor Bates-Froiland overheard her congregation stating how they wanted to help out small businesses during such a critical time. The church wanted to ensure that whatever businesses are in their neighborhood, stay there.
“It became clear that small businesses were going to suffer,” said Pastor Bates-Froiland, so she suggested A Goodman’s Desserts and now he’s the church’s go-to baker, which is the start of their new partnership.
Redeemer Lutheran Church congregation. (Picture provided by Redeemer Lutheran Church)
“I’m excited they want me to be the church baker,” said Goodman. “I get to meet a different set of people.”
Goodman will be paid on a monthly-basis to provide refreshments at the church’s post-service program. Whenever the members of the congregation have a family party, anniversary or other special event, Goodman will be their first call.
Since Goodman doesn’t have a storefront for his business, the church collected an offering to cover two months of future rent at a commercial kitchen inside the Ambassador Hotel. According to Pastor Bates-Froiland, it didn’t take much to raise the funds.
Although the partnership is based off baked goods and church gatherings, both Goodman and Pastor Bates-Froiland have plans on taking it further than that. Eventually, the focus will be on social justice and how they can combine their knowledge and resources to fight for that.
“We really wanted to do everything that we can to say we’re in this neighborhood and that we support it,” said Pastor Bates-Froiland. “We’re a neighbor.”
On June 3, 2020, Goodman posted a video on the church’s Facebook page thanking them for their kindness and support. Since the congregation is small, Goodman will be their main focus for small businesses for now.
“It’s good to know that we have an ally in the community and in the struggle like Lutheran Redeemer Church,” Goodman said in the thank you video.
Goodman encourages all small businesses and entrepreneurs to take risk and to step out of their comfort zones because you’ll never who you’ll meet. The next person you meet, might be the key to the next door you’re trying to enter.
To support or contact A Goodman’s Desserts, click here. For more information on Redeemer Lutheran Church, click here.
Alan Goodman’s thank you video can be found below: