Stay tuned for the next NE Children's Clothing Swap sometime in April!

On January 14 Insideout Schoolhouse coordinated with PDXKidsSwap and the Housing Authority of Portland to host the third Free Children's Clothing Swap at Maple Mallory Community Room.

About 50 people attended, including at least 5 attendees from Maple Mallory who heard about the swap through flyers and other neighbors. Everyone found something good to take home. Unlike the past two swaps there was a particular abundance of teen size clothing rather than newborns.

Amber Meyer attended the Summer and Fall Swaps at Maple Mallory and since then has become her own swap coordinator. She recently coordinated an all-family swap at the Habitat for Humanity Community Center in Gresham and was written up in the Oregonian.

Just a few weeks before the swap, Vanessa who had co-coordinated past swaps stepped down from her position and luckily Nicole arrived as the new co-coordinator of this swap. Thanks to her, word got out, the swap flowed smoothly and we were able to direct the leftovers to a good cause.

About 20 bags of clothes, shoes and toys that were left from the swap were donated to Insights Teen Parenting Program of Oregon. Insights’ has been providing teen girls and their families with education, supplies, transitional housing, domestic violence resources, and family planning support since 1979.

We are particularly grateful to those at Maple Mallory Apartments for donating the space. Keeping in line with the philosophy of the swaps, everything is freely given-- no money is allowed at any step in the process: the space is donated, there is no admission charge, no purchases and no reselling anything found at a free swap. What's left is donated to an organization that will give it away to others for free.

The mission of Insideout Schoolhouse is to support heart-led learners in their own growth and development in a community environment of kindness, caring and inclusion. The clothing swap-- like the weekly family meditation, stories and games, and other events hosted by Insideout Schoolhouse at Maple Mallory Apartments-- creates an atmosphere of trust and kindness where neighbors are allowed to grow and strengthen into a healthy community. Please send any feedback, comments or questions to Kristen.