The Extend The Dream Foundation
& The Uptown Bill's Projects



Welcome to Uptown Bill's

The mission of the Extend the Dream Foundation (EDF) is reflected in its Uptown Bill's Projects. These projects are all associated with small business opportunities and employment for persons with disabilities. The history of EDF and its projects is connected to the Bill Sackter story.

Foremost of the Uptown Bill's small business developments is UPTOWN BILL'S SMALL MALL, located at 401 S. Gilbert St. in Iowa City. The Small Mall is the home to four microbusinesses managed and operated by persons with disabilities:

  • Uptown Bill's Ice Cream & Coffee Bar
  • Bill's BookMart
  • The Mad Hatter's Music & Meeting Room
  • Mr. Ed's SuperGraphics

More recently EDF bought and renovated a building to serve as an E-Commerce Center (training persons with disabilities how to buy and sell on the Internet) and a site for an upscale vintage store. In July, 2006 an art and framing store opened at the E-Commerce Center. The Center is located at 2203 F St. and houses three codependent businesses:

  • The Vintage Shoppe
  • The E-Commerce Training Center
  • The Framery

A related project, Mick's Workshop, is located across from the E-Commerce Center at 2218 F St. The Workshop houses two small businesses. A service that specializes in furniture repair, refinishing, and building, plus small home repairs and odd jobs for persons with disabilities, and another business to serve persons with disabilities and elderly persons living in a home or an apartment with accommodations and home maintenance:

  • Furniture Finishing & More
  • RAMP-Chore

Other EDF projects include:

  • Production of a major 90 minute documentary on the Bill story (namesake)
  • Management of the Sackter House, a private rent-to-own home communally shared by three persons with disabilities

Check the Website for links to some of the other projects listed above. The EDF publishes a weekly newsletter covering the above projects. To be included on or deleted from the mailing list for the newsletter click here.


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