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Medford mom Maggie Carrillo said it was the simple gesture of wanting to share the outgrown clothing of her three children via social media that launched a project she hopes will become a regional effort of families helping families. Unofficially, the Rogue Valley Clothing Exchange began this summer with a simple “swap meet” style get-together. Carrillo said she initially planned for an outdoor space where mothers and children could spread out blankets and display their gently used clothing available for swap. When wildlife smoke forced the small group indoors, Carrillo found a medium-size space at the library last week that was immediately filled with dozens of families and wall-to-wall clothing. Participants swapped outgrown clothing for bigger sizes or handed down items that had been worn only a few times. Carrillo said the need and functionality of such an exchange was immediately obvious. “I’ve always tried, every time I would go through my kids’ closets, to post on Facebook to see if anyone could use some free clothes. I would get 15 to 20 messages,” Carrillo said. “They say ‘everyone has a story,’ and you don’t know if they’re all a true story or what, but it still gets to you. It’s heart-wrenching to think of people needing clothes.” Carrillo, who moved to the Rogue Valley from Brookings eight years ago, said response to her swap meet concept had been so touching she hopes her project becomes a resource for families in need. Carrillo plans for her official launch to take place Aug. 25 with a Back to School Clothing and Book Exchange at the Medford library. In addition to clothes, Carrillo has been collecting backpacks and school supplies. “There are truly a lot of kids out there who would otherwise go without. We have a lot of low-income families in the Rogue Valley and we want to make sure those kids have some new-to-them clothes, especially for their first days back to school,” Carrillo said. “Even being a parent, you want some new clothes to drop your kids off to school in. They’ve been wearing their old clothes all summer long. If they go back to school without a new outfit, it doesn’t feel like anything new or special. Every kid should have at least one new outfit, something to look forward to.” Carrillo said families have the option of participating in clothing swaps or, if they prefer, simply donating and not taking clothing items in exchange. Exchange participants bring outgrown or unused and gently used items and receive “credits” for the same number of items. “If you bring in 20 gently used items, you come in and lay them on the table, tell us how many you brought and we give you that many clothing credits,” Carrillo said. “We want it to be easy and fun. And we have people donating, and not wanting clothes in return. So, if you go over your limit, that’s OK, too. Our goal is to provide clothes for people who need them.” The Back to School event is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 25 at the downtown Medford library branch, 205 S. Central Ave. To donate clothes outside of the swap events, contact Carrillo at 541-821-2432. Online: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2200751896811928/ Reach freelance writer Buffy Pollock at [email protected].