SOUTHWICK – To help children and families in need this winter, the Southwick Public Library is currently collecting donations for its annual Giving Tree.

Southwick Public Library Director Lynn Blair said the donations from this year’s drive will go toward the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) locations in Holyoke and Springfield.

“We have both the Holyoke and Springfield DCF’s that are in need of items, so I’m hoping to get enough so we can at least give a couple boxes to each of them. Then they will take them and distribute them. Holyoke and Springfield are a pretty big area, so I hope we get enough to cover them,” she said.

Currently, the library is looking for brand new hats, mittens and scarves.

Blair said between Southwick’s knitters and extra time spent at home because of the pandemic, she is hoping for an even larger turnout this year.

“We have a lot of knitters in town. The DCF said they can accept handmade items as long as they are new. We’re hoping it works out well because people have been home because of the pandemic and they’ve been knitting. Hopefully we get more than usual this year,” she said.

Last year, Blair said the library received enough donations to fill several boxes of goods.

“In the past years we have gotten quite a lot of donations. I think last year we had four or five boxes full of things to donate. Usually the response is amazing,” she said.

Since the library is open by appointment only, interested donors can make an appointment or ring the doorbell to drop off their goods.

“If people come and want to drop their stuff off, they can ring the doorbell and we’ll meet them outside or they can make an appointment to come in. We just want to make it as easy as possible to drop stuff off,” Blair said.

The Southwick Public Library will be collecting donations for its giving tree through Dec. 7.