The LIC Children’s Clothing & Gear Swap is a free, volunteer-run community event serving families in Long Island City. Since launching, the swap has grown from a single-neighborhood idea into a thriving quarterly gathering, now heading into its 4th edition on October 3, 2026, at Hunters Point Library and Environmental Education Center. Families bring gently used baby-to-preteen clothing, shoes, books, toys, and gear to exchange with their neighbors at no cost, no minimum, and no trading required. Everything left at the end of the event is donated to local charities, extending its impact well beyond the LIC community. The event was founded by two local moms, Katrina and Marina, who saw an opportunity to bring the neighborhood’s active online resale culture into a warmer, in-person format built on connection and reuse.
Each edition has expanded in scope and community involvement: recent additions include a dedicated Toy Station, a straight-to-donation section for adult clothing and shoes (addressing a real gap in local donation options), and this edition’s new Halloween Swap Station for kids’ costumes and trick-or-treat gear. The event has also drawn support from local businesses and partners, and a growing network of LIC small businesses now serving as satellite drop-off points the week before each event.
At its core, the swap remains what it started as: a sustainable, family-first initiative proving that a neighborhood can meet real needs: decluttering, saving money, and reducing waste simply by showing up for each other.
