Recent data suggests that, on average, parents will spend about $31 billion on back-to-school shopping for kids in grades K-12, or roughly $586 per student.

So Eagle Mountain city officials are looking to lighten the expenses by collecting items for a clothing swap drive.

Donors can drop off gently used clothing between now and Thursday at any city office. Residents also can leave the items to donate on their porch and email events@emcity.org with their address for pickup.

Eagle Mountain City Events Manager Dawn Hancock said the idea came together within a matter of days after recognizing the need in the community. “After noticing several posts on the (Eagle Mountain) Citizens Facebook page about the need for school clothes in our community, we have decided to host a clothing swap,” she told the Daily Herald.

Aside from clothing, other needed items include shoes and backpacks for students from pre-K through high school.

Gathered items will be placed out and distributed during the city’s food truck rally Thursday from 6-9 p.m. at Cory Wride Memorial Park.

“Any of the clothes that have already been dropped off to us and we’ll wash, we’ll make sure that they’re clean and folded and ready to go,” Hancock said. “We’ll coordinate them according to size.”

Clothing and items can be donated during the event as well.

Hancock noted that all are welcome to come and pick up any needed items. “They’re just free to walk up to the tables, grab what they want — no questions asked — and and leave,” Hancock told the Daily Herald.

Eagle Mountain’s efforts come days after a Payson family held a free clothing swap, for which they spent months collecting items, Fox 13 reported.

Amid ongoing inflation and steadily rising costs of groceries and housing, Eagle Mountain city officials say they recognize the struggles families are facing and look to provide ways their citizens can enjoy activities and events regardless of their financial situation.

“It’s hard for everybody right now, and so not only this clothing swap, but through every event that we do here in Eagle Mountain, we try to make sure that they’re all free. They’re all geared towards families. And so any of these events that we have, we welcome everybody out to just come and have a fun, free night,” Hancock said.

Eagle Mountain will host another clothing swap in September during its final food truck rally for the season. “And we’ll do Halloween costumes, and then winter gear — so coats, gloves, hats, things like that,” Hancock said.

Food truck rallies happen each Thursday through the end of September at Cory Wride Memorial Park.

This week’s event will feature a variety of food truck vendors and balloon artists from Party Pipeline.

‘We know it’s never easy to go into these situations, and we want it to be as fun and light as possible. So they’re going to come and do free balloon animals to anyone who participates and comes out,” Hancock said.

For more information, visit eaglemountaincity.com.