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 are
connected to the Bill
Sackter story.
Foremost of the Uptown Bill's Projects development is moving the Small Mall
at its current location to 730 S. Dubuque St. in Iowa City. We are remodeling the Small Mall and changing its name to "Uptown Bill's Coffee House & Neighborhood Arts Center." The Coffee House is the home to the same four micro businesses
managed and operated by persons with disabilities that the Small Mall was:
Sackter House Media, a publishing, communications and media company, was created in late 2007. The company is named for Bill Sackter,
the namesake for Uptown Bill’s Coffee House & Neighborhood Arts Center and Wild
Bill’s Coffeeshop. Throughout his life Bill
openly shared his story with others, inspiring
them with evidence that kindness and hope can
overcome a life of suffering. The publisher helps
modern day “Bills” share their stories with the world.
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), a site for an upscale vintage
store, and a place to act as a shipping and handling service. In July, 2008 an music store opened at the E-Commerce Center. The Center is located at
2203 F St. and houses four co-dependent businesses:
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:
Other EDF projects include:
- A major 90 minute documentary on the Bill story, "A Friend Indeed: The Bill Sackter 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.