Clothing swaps, community fridges and other kinds of neighborhood sharing are answering needs

When Cassie Ridgway held her first clothing swap in Portland, Oregon, 14 years ago, she had a few goals: keep clothes out of landfills , help people find free fashion treasures and build community .

The swap attracted about 150 people, and grew from there. Now, the twice-yearly event, which organizers call The Biggest Swap in the Northwest, draws between 500 and 850 participants to share clothes and accessories in a partylike atmosphere.