Srirupa Dasgupta, founder and owner of Upohar, in Lancaster, received an EILEEN FISHER Women-Owned Business Grant in the amount of $18,500, in the fall of 2015. Upohar was one of five grantees, chosen out of more than 100 applicants from all over the world. The grant supports innovative, women-owned companies that are beyond the start-up phase and ready to expand their business and potential for positive social and environmental impact.

 

Dasgupta attended a two-day workshop, from March 31 to April 1, at EILEEN FISHER headquarters in New York City, where the grantees had the opportunity to meet and learn from one another, as well as from EILEEN FISHER staff members.

 

In Bengali, upohar means gift, which is the reason Dasgupta chose it as the name for the catering company she founded in 2011. Upohar employs, trains and pays a living wage to newly resettled refugee and homeless women who would otherwise have significant barriers to employment. It serves global cuisine, and specializes in vegan and vegetarian food from the employees' home countries.

 

“For Upohar, receiving the grant, and attending the workshop, provided an opportunity to work on our next iteration of our business with like-minded women entrepreneurs,” shares Dasgupta. “I returned to Lancaster inspired to launch Upohar 3.0.”

 

For more information, call 717-569-2782, email [email protected] or visit UpoharEthnicCuisines.com.