Client Spotlight: Uptown Stories
Kate Reuther has always been passionate about giving back to her community. Growing up in Manhattan's uptown neighborhoods, she was surrounded by a vibrant and diverse culture with many untold stories that she wanted to help bring to life. Her mission became crystal clear when she founded Uptown Stories ten years ago: to provide young writers the chance to discover and develop their unique inner voices.
For Kate's organization, which offers pay-what-you-can writing workshops for children ages eight to eighteen, tuition received post-pandemic did not cover the cost of running the program. Kate sought a loan from the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation (UMEZ). She met with the UMEZ Business Team and found a good fit for her organization with the UMEZ Hybrid Microloan.
UMEZ offered Kate the needed cash flow through the hybrid microloan, enabling "Uptown Stories" to continue to create an exciting, challenging, and supportive community for young authors to thrive. While UMEZ's loan provided Uptown Stories with the resources it needed to remain a vibrant and successful enterprise, it all started with Kate approaching UMEZ.
"Thanks to the UMEZ Hybrid Microloan, I am proud to say that 'Uptown Stories' beat the pandemic! We can use this funding to build a brighter future for our local community and create more uplifting stories together."
- Kate Reuther
Under Kate's guidance, Uptown Stories has offered nearly 200 writing workshops over the last decade, empowering more than 1,500 kids to find creative outlets and express themselves authentically. She sees her work as an opportunity to teach people how to write and build confidence and relationships within their communities.