What do you get when you take three University of Houston Alums, (two being College of Technology graduates), a passion for baking and mix with sugar? "Sweelanthropy".
Sweelanthropy is a term coined by A Sweet Intent. "Sweelanthropy means baking with the sweetest of intentions," explained Amisha Jay Dalwadi, College of Technology alumna and co-owner of A Sweet Intent. "My sister Sheetal, who is also a College of Technology graduate, created the term to describe our company that we started in January 2011 as a way to give back to the community through the proceeds of our baking business."
A philanthropic business was born from a passion that the three sisters had for baking that was inspired from their grandmother in India. "Our grandmother made fresh food daily for beggars and when we visited we saw how the beggars would come to her home to receive food," said Dalwadi. "In fact, others would try to give them food and they would turn them down and request our grandmother's meals. We learned from a very young age the importance of giving back from our grandmother and we also learned to enjoy baking together in the kitchen as a family."
What started out as baking birthday cakes for family and friends soon turned into a business. "We simply began making treats for family, then their friends started requesting items from us, and then soon we were receiving calls from people we did not know but who had been referred to us by family and friends," added Dalwadi.
Proceeds from A Sweet Intent are donated to a local charity each month. The American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, The Junior League, Akshaya Trust, Daya, Cure for Sonia, Diaper Houston, TEDx SugarLand, TEDxTheWoodlands, TEDxHouston, TEDxYouth TheWoodlands and SEARCH are all charities that have received donations.
Amisha Jay Dalwadi and Sheetal Dalwadi-Oza each have a degree in Information Systems Technology. Manisha Dalwadi-Brahmbhatt holds a degree in Physical Science and in Biology.
For more information about A Sweet Intent, please visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/asweetintent.