New Day Chester ignites growth through the arts
The Untours Foundation hasn’t ever made a loan to a museum, but it is invested in an exciting new arts project in the struggling city of Chester, Pa. New Day Chester is inspiring artistic expression and using it as fuel for social renewal and much-needed economic development. With multi-talented artist and entrepreneur, Devon Walls, at […]
A Town-and-Country Company
Lancaster Food Company, one of the Untours Foundation’s recent investees, is definitely a “town and country” company. Located in Lancaster, Pa, this organic bakery straddles two worlds—a city with a population of half-a-million and a county that is home to some of America’s most idyllic countryside. It’s the perfect place for a business that […]
Ties that bind: Knotty Tie and the Refugee Crisis
What if U.S. communities embraced the gifts that international refugees have to offer and partnered with them to rebuild our economy through innovative business models? And what if those business models reinvigorated old industries with fresh ideas and a responsive approach? That is exactly what Knotty Tie, an entrepreneurial and visionary business in Denver, Colorado, […]
Thanksgiving Feast and a Straw Bale Community Center at Standing Rock
Huffington Post blog by Untours Foundation Director Elizabeth Killough A Wopila feast – Lakota for Thank You – is being prepared for the Protectors at Standing Rock on Thanksgiving Day thanks to the spark and energy of Judy Wicks and 60 of her friends and fans. Judy is a household name in Philadelphia for her […]
That’s some bake sale!
One of the Untours Foundations’ early investments was a small credit union in North Carolina called Self-Help. Small Beginnings Self-Help Credit Union had just about the smallest beginning you can imagine — with $77 in bake sale proceeds! Since 1984, it has grown to 17 branches all over North Carolina. True to its roots and mission, it gives back […]
Cora
Elizabeth and I had a wonderful visit this week from Molly Hayward, founder of Cora. Molly is a passionate young entrepreneur from the Philadelphia area who really believes in changing how capitalism works. She calls Cora a “for-profit and for-purpose” social business. As Elizabeth remarked to Molly, “Hal will love you!” The service and mission […]