About this Event
We invite you to be part of our Costume SWAP! Bring your gently loved costumes to donate or swap. To participate, you can either bring a costume to swap or donate a bag of canned/shelf-stable food.
FAQs
Drop-off Location: 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Suite F
Drop off Dates & Times:
09/28- 10/3 9 am til 4 pm
Our goal is to provide you with a FUN experience and help the kids have a great Halloween! In order to have a fun and neatly organized swapping experience, registration is appreciated. Our Swap is FREE and open to the public! If you prefer, you can either bring a costume, donate funds, or donate shelf-stable food items. *It is not helpful if you bring expired items, as they will not be accepted. Please double-check expiration dates 😊
WHO ARE WE?
Porchlight Community Services is a small, independent San Diego nonprofit that rescues good food from going to waste and makes it available through affordable groceries and free community food programs.
We promote low- to zero-waste living by finding practical ways to keep good things in use, from food and clothing to costumes and household items. The Costume Swap is one more way to reuse, share, save money, and keep perfectly good stuff out of the landfill.
HOW DO I PARTICIPATE?
Register for the swap through Eventbrite. Everyone is welcome to swap or donate!
Bring your items during the designated drop-off times, then come back to swap on event day.
Don’t have a costume to trade? No problem, bring canned goods to donate.
WHAT CAN I SWAP?
Children’s Halloween costumes and accessories only.
We accept:
- Baby and infant sizes
- Toddler sizes 2T–5T
- Child sizes XS–L
- XS and S adult sizes
- Wigs, gloves, shoes/boots, glow sticks, and other costume accessories
Items must be clean, gently used or new, and in good condition.
Please check everything for holes, rips, stains, broken zippers, missing buttons, fabric pilling, and odors. Empty all pockets!
For easy sorting and display, please put costumes on hangers when possible, label them by size, and place loose accessories in a zip bag.
Unless new with tags, we cannot accept nylons, fishnet stockings, costume undergarments, or socks.
CAN I TRY ON A COSTUME?
No. We won’t have space for fitting rooms, so please plan accordingly.
WHAT IS NOT ACCEPTED?
Anything dirty, damaged, stained, ripped, heavily worn, or with smoke or animal odors.
WHAT HAPPENS TO LEFTOVER COSTUMES?
Nothing goes to waste! Remaining costumes are donated to community partners and other organizations so they can continue finding their way to families.
CAN I DONATE WITHOUT SWAPPING?
Absolutely! You can donate costumes even if you don’t plan to swap.
WHERE DO I DROP OFF MY ITEMS?
Costume drop-offs are accepted at our San Diego location: Porchlight Community Services during the designated drop-off hours.
We may also have neighborhood drop-off locations hosted by volunteers.
Want to host a drop-off spot in your neighborhood? Message us!
WANT TO VOLUNTEER?
We’d love the extra hands! Volunteers can help with setup, sorting and organizing costumes, check-in, helping families during the swap, rehanging items, cleanup, and packing leftovers for donation.
Bonus: Costume Swap volunteers get early-bird shopping! Sign up to volunteer: https://www.handsonsandiego.org/opportunity/a0CQQ0000DF79yX/sort-halloween-costume-swap
Event venue & nearby stays
Porchlight Community Services Inc., 8878 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, San Diego, United States
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