about tala's closet
Supporting survivors as they begin again.
Tala’s Closet is a survivor-founded organization providing free access to clothing, hygiene products, and essential items for individuals and families leaving domestic violence situations.
Through community support and donation-based closets, we create spaces where survivors can access what they need without pressure, barriers, or expectations—so they can begin again with dignity.
Tala’s Story
Breaking the cycle through Tala’s legacy of hope
Tala Smith was 21 years old. She was a daughter, a friend, and a young woman with dreams she didn’t get the chance to chase. She deserved safety, love, and a future.
Tala’s life was lost as a result of domestic violence. After sustaining severe injuries, she spent days on life support—leaving her family to face the unimaginable decision to say goodbye.
Tala’s Closet was created in her honor. A way to turn loss into action and to create something that could support other women navigating abuse and help prevent more families from facing the same reality.
Her story is not an isolated one. It reflects a reality too many individuals face. Leaving abusive relationships without the resources, support, or safe spaces they need to begin again. In fact, up to 99% of domestic violence cases involve financial abuse, leaving many survivors with little to nothing when they escape. Sometimes only the clothes they are wearing.
Tala’s Closet exists not only in her memory, but to ensure more victims have the opportunity to become survivors. Each person who walks through our doors, donates to our closet, or extends a helping hand is a reminder that awareness, education, and community support can change outcomes and save lives.
“See a Need, Fill a Need”
Our Impact
Making a difference through community support
In just 8 months, Tala’s Closet has served 93 families and counting—providing essential resources and a safe space for survivors to begin again.
Every donation, volunteer, and community partner plays a role in making this possible.
founder's story
Elissa Swihart: From surviving to supporting others
Survivor, advocate, and founder of Tala’s Closet, Elissa created the organization to ensure others have access to the support and resources she once needed. Her lived experience shapes the mission, approach, and impact of everything Tala’s Closet provides.
After escaping abuse with her toddler and a laundry basket of clothes, Elissa rebuilt her life from almost nothing. During that time, her family was supported by members of their community—providing essentials, stability, and hope during one of the most difficult transitions of her life.
That experience shaped everything Tala’s Closet stands for today. After becoming a survivor advocate and connecting with Tala’s mother, Connie, the vision for Tala’s Closet became clear.
What began as a personal experience has grown into a community-driven mission rooted in empathy, understanding, and action. Every part of Tala’s Closet is built on lived experience, compassion, and a commitment to ensuring no one has to start over alone.
Want to hear the stories that inspired this project? Listen to the podcast: Dismissed True Stories
Available wherever you listen to podcasts.
our team
The people behind Tala’s Closet
Lori Swihart
Director of Operations — Buckeye Lake
Lori oversees daily operations at the Buckeye Lake location, helping ensure the space remains organized, welcoming, and accessible. Her role supports the consistent delivery of resources to individuals and families in need.
Kaila Newlon
Director of Advancement & Events
Kaila leads community outreach, events, and initiatives that support the growth of Tala’s Closet. Her work helps build connections, increase awareness, and expand opportunities for community involvement.
our board of directors
Supporting the organization’s direction and long-term growth
Nick Gaylord – President
Nick Gaylord is an advocate, podcaster, and longtime professional in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device industries, with more than 30 years of experience dedicated to improving lives through systems, safety, and care. His career has been grounded in a deep belief that work should ultimately serve people, a value that has shaped both his professional path and his advocacy beyond it.
In 2024, Nick launched Grief Is Not A Dirty Word, a grief-focused podcast that has become a platform for connection among grievers, survivors, and those rebuilding their lives after loss. Through this work, his involvement in the domestic violence space deepened, particularly after forming close relationships with the parents and stepparents of Gabby Petito in late 2024. Since then, Nick has become actively engaged with the Gabby Petito Foundation and committed to amplifying survivor-centered advocacy through education, visibility, and action.
Nick joined the board of Tala’s Closet after connecting with Elissa Swihart, the organization’s founder, through his podcast and learning more about the mission and impact she has built through her work. While he does not identify as a survivor, Nick is a steadfast advocate who believes no one should ever feel unsafe in their home or their life. He brings a strategic, systems-oriented perspective to the board, along with a lifelong drive to help others, a drive that began with an early aspiration to teach and continues today through advocacy, storytelling, and service. Nick is deeply honored to support Tala’s Closet and the life-changing work it provides for women and children rebuilding from the ground up.
Alex Mack
Alex is a survivor, mother, and dedicated advocate who has become an expert in navigating legal abuse and high-conflict family court. With a background in law and a thriving platform that supports women recovering from narcissistic abuse, she helps survivors understand their rights, strengthen their cases, and reclaim their power in courtrooms designed to overwhelm them. Her approach blends trauma-informed guidance with practical legal strategy, giving survivors both confidence and clarity in some of the hardest moments of their lives.
In her role as a board member of Tala’s Closet, Alex contributes deep expertise in legal system barriers, survivor needs, and the realities of post-separation abuse. She brings a strategic and compassionate voice to the board, ensuring programs are not only accessible but truly responsive to the challenges survivors face. Guided by Tala’s legacy, Alex is committed to expanding safe, dignified support for women and children who are rebuilding their lives from the ground up.
Erin Stewart
Erin Stewart is a founding board member of Tala’s Closet and a passionate advocate for survivors of domestic violence. She is deeply committed to creating spaces where people and their pets can rebuild their lives with dignity, confidence, and community support. Her involvement with Tala’s Closet reflects both her personal commitment to survivor advocacy and her belief in the power of strong, compassionate community resources.
Erin is an accomplished revenue and growth executive with more than a decade of leadership experience in enterprise technology. She has built and scaled high-performing sales organizations, developed new market strategies, and driven significant recurring revenue growth. Her career has focused on leading complex, consultative engagements with executive stakeholders, translating business challenges into strategic solutions, and aligning sales, product, and operational teams to accelerate impact.
Throughout her career, Erin has driven multimillion-dollar revenue growth, secured enterprise partnerships, and helped organizations adopt innovative, AI-powered technologies. She is known for combining strategic vision with disciplined execution to deliver measurable business results.
Erin lives in West Michigan and is dedicated to strengthening the local community through advocacy, leadership, and service.
Gabrielle “Gabby” Dunai
Gabrielle “Gabby” Dunai is an experienced nonprofit professional and survivor advocate with more than a decade of service to communities across West Michigan. As a survivor of domestic and gun violence, she brings essential lived experience to her work, informing a leadership approach grounded in equity, dignity, and trauma-informed practice.
Gabrielle’s professional background includes case management, early childhood education, program development, grant writing, strategic planning,fundraising, and legislative advocacy. She has led and supported initiatives addressing key social determinants of health, expanding access to early childhood education, and strengthening community-based efforts to prevent and respond to gun violence, issues that significantly affect individuals and families experiencing interpersonal violence.
She currently serves as Pantry and Volunteer Coordinator at Jehovah Jireh Ministries of West Michigan, overseeing resource distribution, volunteer engagement, and cross-sector partnerships that strengthen community support systems. Gabrielle also contributes her expertise through advisory and board service, including roles with the Violence Prevention Alliance of the Lakeshore, the Kent County Domestic Violence Action Network, Resilience’s Survivor Advisory Council, Ottawa County Community Action Agency advisory board, and the U.S. Children’s Interagency Coordinating Council. She is also a participant in the Everytown Survivor Fellowship program, contributing to national gun violence prevention efforts. Previously, Gabrielle served on the executive board of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Grand Rapids and was the Region 4 Representative for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Social Determinants of Health Community Influencer Program.
Gabrielle has been recognized with the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Grand Rapids 2024 Advocate Award and was a finalist for the 2024 Mari Martin Champion for Change Award, reflecting her sustained commitment to advancing coordinated, survivor-centered responses to violence.
Doug Clarke
Originally from Allen Park, Michigan, Dr. Clarke built a distinguished 34-year career in veterinary medicine rooted in service, leadership, and community impact. He earned both his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees from Michigan State University. During his time at MSU, he met his wife, Gretchen, and the two later relocated to Grand Rapids, where they have built their life together over the past 32 years. They share one son, Connor, who is 25.
Dr. Clarke owned and operated his own veterinary practice for 27 years, establishing a reputation for compassionate care, operational excellence, and long-term client trust. Now semi-retired, he continues to remain active in his field and in his community.
His leadership experience includes serving as Past President of the St. Alphonsus Home and School Board and Past President of the West Michigan Veterinary Medical Association. He has contributed extensive volunteer veterinary services to both the Humane Society and the Kent County Animal Shelter. He currently serves on the board of iCINation, bringing decades of practical expertise, nonprofit service, and community-focused insight to the organization.
Community Partners
Waters Edge Community Center
Our Locations
Be part of the support system
Tala’s Closet operates in two locations, allowing us to serve survivors across multiple communities.
Our Buckeye Lake, Ohio location partners with a local food pantry to reach individuals and families in need, while our Grand Rapids, Michigan location supports survivors throughout West Michigan.
No matter the location, our goal remains the same: to create a safe, welcoming space where survivors can access what they need to begin again.
As Tala’s Closet continues to grow, we’re working to expand into additional communities through local partnerships that help bring these resources to more people who need them.
Give Financially
Make a financial contribution to support ongoing operations, outreach, and the continued growth of Tala’s Closet.
Clicking this button may redirect you to our GoFundMe Campaign in a new window.
Amazon Wishlist
Purchase needed items directly and have them sent to Tala’s Closet through our regularly updated wishlist.
Clicking this button may redirect you to our Amazon wishlist in a new window.
Mail-In Donations
Tala’s Closet
PO Box 4
Buckeye Lake, OH 43008
