Thrifty Swap Activity

Collect and Sort: Go back to your neighbors to pick up donated clothes and bring them back to your collection location. Start sorting items by type and size, setting aside clothing that’s too worn or damaged to offer in the pop-up shop. You can continue sorting items in Week 6 too.

Create and Print Event Flyers: Make an event flyer to give to neighbors. Open your guide for an easy-to-redesign event template.

Invite Neighbors to the Pop-Up Shop: Canvas the neighborhood with event flyers. Extend the invitation broadly. Even neighbors who didn’t donate clothing are invited! Consider sharing with communities of people in need, such as women’s shelters, ministries, career development centers, and organizations helping people transition from incarceration. Also invite neighbors to your Week 10 party as a way to thank them for participating.

Plan the Shopping Experience: Decide how and where to display items: hung on clothing racks, poles, or pipes; on tables; or in bins. Be creative! Make clear signage to help people find what they’re looking for. If it seems necessary, consider setting a soft limit on the number of items (e.g., “about a bag per person”) to keep it fair and to prevent people from shopping for resale.

Host the Thrifty Swap: Everyone gets to shop (including the people in your group)! Welcome people at the door, and explain how it works: “Take what you need.” Have volunteers bag items before guests leave.

Donate Leftovers: Donate what’s left to charities that handle clothing responsibly, such as women’s shelters or halfway houses. Or you can post a listing on OfferUp or other community sites for free clothing within a one- or two-hour window after the event.

Clean Up: Do a quick cleanup of the space.

Plan a final party for Week 10.
1. Invite all the neighbors who donated and/or shopped. (Tip: Ask them to come dressed in their new-to-them clothing!)
2. Make it a potluck. Use the Volunteer Roles sheet to organize it.
3. Ask each person to say their name, which home they live in, and either their favorite article of clothing or the piece of clothing they’ve had the longest.
4. Share how most clothing donated to thrift stores is shipped to other countries where it can hurt local economies, end up in landfills, or even be discarded on beaches.
5. Thank your neighbors for helping care for God’s Earth while giving their clothing a second chance.
6. Offer a small token of appreciation, such as a handwritten card or a bookmark.
7. Let them know that they’re invited the next time you do another Earthcare Activity.