S.W.A.P- Serving With A Purpose

     My mother Ella is the oldest daughter in a family of 11. Born in Lewiston, NC they didn't have much but always helped others. As a child I remember hearing my aunts ask to borrow scarves, shirts, blazers, and jewelry. Without hesitation my mom would go to her closet and give whatever she had. Someone was always in Ella's closet.  I watched her give to others all of my life.

      I noticed I inherited her spirit of giving, when I began buying and giving items to my students, friends and women in transitional housing.  It became clear to me when one of my interns said she needed clothes for her upcoming interviews and didn't have the money to go shopping. I went into my closet and my friends closets and we collected 4 suits for her. She was extremely grateful and wore one of the suits to her interview (she is now a teacher in Cecil County). 

     From this act of kindness and my mother's example of giving, Inside Ella's Closet held its first Sip and Swap on November 14, 2015, at the Towson Library. Since then, we have held several sip and swaps, Mother's Day Celebratory events, a coat drive for the homeless and have awarded monetary gifts to help college graduates prepare for their new career in education. 

We continue to grow and thrive with each event we host. We hope you will join us at our next Sip and Swap and be a blessing to those who need it.

                                Ella and Tonya Blue-Shelby

Inside Ella's Closet is a nonprofit organization that collects and distributes professional attire for college students and women in transition.

We believe "We are blessed to be a blessing."