Let me tell you a little story about my meeting Samantha Erickson... I think she reached out to me (my Instagram name is Grounded in Maine, and she's a Maine business, so I assume that's why), and the idea of used formal dresses was such a great business plan, so I was sold, and invited her to talk about it on the podcast. When I got her podcast guest form, she said "turning grief and pain into purpose," and if you know me, I'm all in for all the deep conversations, so I couldn't wait for the chance to learn more about the story of Tia's Prom Closet Project. 

Tia Morrell was Samantha's best friend, and she passed away in 2024, 4 months after giving birth to her first child, Zara. Tia was a total fashion girl, and had a huge heart, not letting someone miss out on a special occasion because they didn't have the right outfit - Samantha tells the sweetest story showing this. So Samantha, Tia's mom, and a couple other of Tia's friends started Tia's Prom Closet Project - really a circular fashion goldmine, located in the small town of Harrison in southern Maine. They started 4 months ago now with 20 dresses, and 3 months later when I spoke with Samantha, they had received close to 600 donated dresses to offer folks!

Samantha has so many stories about this, and the reach they've made in just a few short months shows the power of community.  

I'm going to leave you with this last quote from Samantha: "This is bigger than dresses; it's about dignity. A pay it forward movement built on kindness, confidence, and connection, all in honor of an incredible soul.
Every dress that leaves our racks carries more than fabric and sparkle — it carries a story, a piece of someone else’s love and hope." 

You can find Tia's Prom Closet Project on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/tiaspromcloset/ 

And on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/people/Tias-Prom-Closet/61580223976310/

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