GREENFIELD — Six years ago, Sandra Beebe knitted 25 scarves and placed them around Greenfield Common for anyone to take.

Now, backed by a team of roughly 225 volunteers throughout the region, Beebe returned to the common on Monday night with a total of 156 scarves — 80 of which she knitted herself — and hundreds of other items, including mittens, hats, socks and stuffed animals. Those items, all of which are free and available for anyone to take, were displayed by Beebe and her husband, her daughter, Alicia Cross, and her grandchildren.

In total, about 750 items are available for people in need.

“We hope things get better from year to year, but with the exorbitant rents, things aren’t getting better,” said Beebe, who has been knitting since she was a child. “I do this to hopefully help people.”

The Wendell resident, who started the volunteer project with Cross in 2017, said she began the annual tradition as a way to give back.

“I was homeless for a while myself, and I remember the generosity of people,” she recalled. “So I wanted to give back. It took me a long time to get here, and knitting is something I can do. It’s mindless; I can sit there and watch TV and knit.”

Her goal each year is to knit 100 scarves by herself, she said, but with a wedding and move thrown into the mix this year, she was grateful to have completed 80 scarves.

“I’m pretty proud of that,” Beebe said.

While many of the items are handmade, members also donate stuffed animals, knitting materials or money. Some people, she added, contribute their moral support.

“We just try to make it bigger every year and hopefully help some folks,” Beebe said.

To join The Scarf Project or for more information, visit bit.ly/3yrf0wB.

Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.