About Eva's Closet
Eva’s Closet is a nonprofit centrally located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and serves communities around the Metroplex. We are dedicated to helping families that are affected by unemployment, domestic violence, child abuse, child neglect, and financial issues. Our goal is to help these families to become stronger and healthier by offering training in parenting and career services.
Children are our future and greatest resources for the future. Training to help parents plays a key role in raising more productive children in our society. We want to give parents the tools they need to help their children become strong, productive citizens. By doing so, Eva’s Closet helps to prevent recidivism in families receiving social services, lower the rate of teenage pregnancies, juvenile delinquency, drug abuse, and stop child abuse and neglect within communities.
Many people in our communities struggle with unemployment or underemployment. This affects their ability to support themselves and their families, and creates a burden on others. Eva’s Closet provides the career coaching and development training that people need in order to become gainfully employed. We focus on helping people find career paths that will not only pay the bills but also help them feel valued, productive, and happy. When people do work that is personally fulfilling, they set themselves up for long-term success, which improves their quality of life and the quality of life of those around them.
Behind Our Name
Eva’s Closet continues the legacy of Eva R. Poland, or “Mrs. Eva”, who made a difference in her community through her generosity to both friends and strangers.
Meet Our Board of Directors
Veronica Poland Young, CEO
Ms. Young, BSW, MSW, MACE (Dallas Theological Seminary), is CEO and parenting trainer of Eva’s Closet Nonprofit. She is an experienced educator, counselor, and social worker. Not only does she have wide-ranging experience, but she has also successfully trained hundreds of college students. She has taught at Columbia College, Tarleton State University (Fort Worth and Stephenville, Texas) and the University of Texas. She is committed to promoting and improving human life.
Cynthia J. Poland
Ms. Poland is the Cofounder of Eva’s Closet Nonprofit and the organization’s Marketing, Public Relations & Social Media Advisor. Prior to Eva’s Closet, she worked as the Public Relations Coordinator at the National Headquarters of the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. She also worked for the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources in Baton Rouge. She holds a Master of Media Management and Business Management from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia and a Nonprofit Management Certification from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Jessica Jolly
Jessica Jolly is a Detroit, Michigan native and is passionate about health, wellness, and public health. She is the Founder and CEO of Nourish & Flourish Health, a growing boutique health coaching practice. Jessica is an experienced public health leader and healthcare executive who strives to achieve health equity and eliminate health disparities by Helping Everyone Achieve Love (HEAL) through the creation of a culture of health in the communities she serves through coaching, mentoring, teaching, partnership, and collaboration. She has is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Michigan, an Early Childhood Education teaching certification from Georgia State University, and a Master of Health Administrion and Master of Public Health in Health Behavior and Health Promotion from The Ohio State University.
Akinwa "Richard" Oladapo
Mr. Oladapo is the Familiy & Ministerial Support Advisor for Eva’s Closet Nonprofit. He is a former ministry leader specializing in marriage and couples’ counseling at Gospel Faith Mission International in Nigeria. He is also the founder and minister of Gospel Faith Mission International (Grace Chapel) in Fort Worth, Texas. He holds a Masters of Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas.
Lawrence "Larry" Poland
Mr. Poland is the Business Advisor for Eva’s Closet Nonprofit. He is a retired non-commissioned officer of the United States Air Force and previously worked as an administrator for the United States Government in Baltimore, Maryland. He holds a Bachelors in Business Administration and Management from Newman University in Wichita, Kansas, and a Masters in Business Administration focused on Finance from Oklahoma City University.
Eva's Closet Staff Consultants
Jaquita Johnson
Ms. Johnson is an experienced counselor with a demonstrated history of working in the mental health care industry. She has worked with high-risk prenatal and postpartum women and their families. She has conducted trainings using the Nurturing Parenting Curriculum and other sensitivity-based materials. Ms. Johnson has worked for various governmental and nonprofit agencies throughout her career. She holds a Bachelor of Arts focused on Psychology from the University of Oklahoma.
Iram Toney
Mr. Toney volunteers with Eva’s Closet in several capacities. He manages the organization’s databases, assists with web design services, and helps with planning and development as well as project management functions.
As an analyst for Ochsner Health Systems based in New Orleans, LA, he designs, codes, and tests web services and provides various communication functions both onsite and offsite for hospital departments. Mr. Toney has held various software developer positions in nonprofits as well as private and public companies.
His interests are road cycling and visiting comic conventions. His philosophy is “Always live in the present and tomorrow will take care of itself.”
Get involved!
As a nonprofit, we are always looking for help as we serve the community. By supporting Eva’s Closet, you are supporting education and empowerment for single mothers, low-income families, and the underprivileged in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
You can support us in one of two ways, either by donating or volunteering. Donations of any amount are welcome and fully tax-deductible. If you’d like to get directly involved, please contact us about volunteering—we’re always looking for assistance with projects.
