Swap - School supplies (Hennepin County)

Join us for a free community Swap-It event focused on building materials! Bring gently used items you no longer need and take home something new-to-you, all at no cost! It’s a fun and sustainable way to reduce waste, share resources, and connect with others in your community.

You don’t have to bring anything to participate — everyone is welcome!

School supplies
Saturday, August 15, 2026
12–2:30 PM | Early drop-off details are not available at this time. Final items accepted at 2 PM.

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, 5025 Knox Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55419

Accepted items

• 3-ring binders (1-inch only)
• Backpacks (working zippers, no rips/tears/stains)
• Calculators (working)
• Erasers
• Flashcards (in original box)
• Glue, including glue sticks, hot glue/glue guns, and white school glue
• Headphones (over-ear only, no earbuds)
• Notebooks, including lined and composition (50+ unused pages, used pages removed)
• Paint, including watercolor, tempera
• Paper, including lined, graphing, construction, cardstock
• Pencil cases/boxes
• Pencil sharpeners
• Pipe cleaners
• Pocket folders (no logos)
• Rulers, protractors, compasses
• Scissors
• Tape, including Scotch™, packing, masking
• Tissue paper
• Writing and coloring utensils, including pens, pencils, markers, crayons

Not accepted

Broken, excessively worn, stained, or dirty items

What to expect

• No registration required.
• Anyone can participate, kids are welcome!
• You do not need to bring items to take items; everything is free.
• Be kind. Take what you can use, leave items for other swappers.
• Drop off items at the welcome table where volunteers will check, weigh, and sort your items.
• Early drop-off of items is available one hour before the start of the swap; final items accepted 30 minutes before the end of the event. 
• Staff and volunteers are unable to help with unloading or loading items in attendee vehicles. 
• Remaining items will be donated to Hennepin County schools and after-school programs.

Volunteer at a Swap-It event

Interested in helping out or know someone who’d like to get involved? Fill out this volunteer interest form, email swapit@reusemn.org, or call 612-314-6283 for more details.

Program support & funding

Additional questions about Hennepin County swap events? Contact Kirsten Wahlberg at kirsten.wahlberg@hennepin.us or 612-543-0430.

Hennepin County Swap-It events are funded by a statewide waste reduction and reuse grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Reuse Minnesota serves as the contracted event producer.