Why Are There Scarves, Mittens and More Strung from Boston's Trees? The Answer Will Warm Your Heart

Strung carefully around trees in Boston Common and downtown Boston, scarves, mittens, knit caps and more are there for the taking for anyone who needs them.

"I am not lost," the accompanying sign reads. "If you are stuck out in the cold please take what you need to keep warm." 

Bostonians know the power of winter weather, keeping in mind the snow that slammed the city earlier this year – Boston piled up a record of 110.6 inches of snow during the 2014-2015 snow season. To put that in perspective, Boston averages about 43.5 inches of snow each snow season. 

"Two individual named winter storms, Juno (24.6 inches) and Marcus (23.8 inches), ranked among the top 10 heaviest snowstorms on record there," weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce said. "February was the snowiest month on record in Boston with a whopping 64.8 inches. This obliterated the previous record snowiest month of 43.3 inches in January 2005."

(MORE: When Is Your Area's Snowiest Month?)

"It's an open invitation for anyone to come, and if they feel comfortable they can take what they need," Barrasso told WCVB. 

Barrasso said she was inspired by someone doing the same thing in New York City. According to the Portland Press Herald, a similar campaign took place in Portland, Maine, when a local woman began taping coats to light poles. 

"It's a great thing," Lisa McEarchern told the Boston Globe. "I think there's a lot of people who could use it." 

McEarchern said the deed inspired her to donate her extra clothes to the cause. 

Just as the clothes intend to warm anyone who needs them, so is the gesture warming hearts of passersby. It seems these acts of kindness are spreading. 

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