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.

“We have a DJ and two full bars, so there’s some singing and dancing. But no one’s getting drunk at 1 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon,” said Ridgway’s co-founder, Elizabeth Mollo.

The swap is part of a larger movement across the country to share resources with neighbors — one shirt, meal or book at time.

Clothing swaps

The Portland event asks for a $