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Tina Nop, winner of the 2020 Entrepreneurial Empowerment Scholarship, poses for a photo.
Atlantic FCU congratulates Tina Nop of Westbrook for receiving the 2020 Entrepreneurial Empowerment Scholarship. The scholarship, which is supported by the credit union, was created by Fork Food Lab to address the racial and economic gap inhibiting Black, Indigenous, and people of color from starting food businesses in Maine. Funds from the scholarship will help cover the cost of a 6-month membership at Fork Food Lab, licensing fees, access to free legal, tax, and business planning, and marketing and brand support from iBec Creative.
Nop is planning to start a food truck business called Sok Sabai, which translates to “peace and happiness” in the Khmer language. Her menu will include a combination of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese comfort foods.
“This is just so huge for me and my family because I’ve always dreamed of running my own business,” said Nop, whose mother is a refugee from Cambodia. “It’s such a blessing to be a part of the Fork community and to have access to their resources.”
The scholarship was made possible through a combination of private donations and a $2,500 sponsorship from Atlantic FCU.
“Atlantic Federal Credit Union is very proud to support the Entrepreneurial Empowerment Scholarship,” said Scott Chretien, President and CEO at Atlantic FCU. “At Atlantic, our mission is to help people do better. It is exciting to help provide a boost to Tina Nop as she strives for a bigger, brighter, and better future.”
Fork Food Lab is a nonprofit food business incubator and commercial shared kitchen located in Portland. The organization supports the growth of sustainable, Maine-based food businesses by providing entrepreneurs with workspace, equipment, resources, and access to locally sourced ingredients.