Ask homeless men and women in the Portland area what the rest of us can do to help, and the answers usually fall into two categories: The practical and the intangible.

The practical: Socks, please.

On the practical side, men and women living on the street can always use more blankets, tarps, sleeping bags and coats. They can also use basic hygiene products, such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap, hand sanitizer and shampoo.

Perhaps more than any other single item, they need socks.

"You have to take care of your feet, because you're walking so much. Anything goes wrong with your feet, and you're done," said Joel Tucker, who camped near the Multnomah-Clackamas line for more than 10 years.

"Taking care of your feet is one of the hardest things," said Lewis Davis, who was camping under the Marquam Bridge this fall and has been sleeping outdoors for more than five years. "You're supposed to change socks every day. That is hard, hard, hard."

Less tangible, but also important: respect

One of the easiest ways to help is to simply acknowledge that homeless men and women exist.

"People will refuse to look at you, I mean actively turn their head away from you as they pass," said Robin Lloyd, who lived off the Springwater Trail for several years before getting indoors at a Portland Rescue Mission program for women this summer. "You get that dozens of times a day, every day, and it adds to your pain, it adds to the sense that you might as well just give up."

"A lot of those people don't want to be where they are, and they have a heart, they're human, they cry, too," said Barry Allen, who spent two years without shelter. "Next time you see them, don't just walk around them and stick your nose up. They are feeling bad enough. They don't need that. Say hello. Make them feel like a human being."

What about food?

It might sound counter intuitive, but finding food isn't the biggest problem for many homeless Oregonians. Plenty of nonprofits, churches and other well-meaning groups provide free meals in Portland.

"It's always nice when people bring you food, because it's probably nicer than what I was planning to eat and it means I don't have to go anywhere for a meal," Davis said. "But that's not the big thing I worry about."

"If you see someone in this town with a sign that says, 'I need money for food,' don't give them money," said homeless veteran Hank Cap Jr. "Unless you're completely incapacitated, food is gettable. They need their money for something else."

WHERE TO GIVE

A number of Portland-area organizations that help the homeless accept donations. Among them:

- Transition Projects Inc. takes drop-off donations of hygiene products, gently used linens and clothing, books, toilet paper and flash drives (for clients looking for jobs to save their resumes) anytime at Bud Clark Commons, 665 N.W. Hoyt St. Find a wish list on their website.

- The Portland Rescue Mission accepts donations of non-perishable foods, Bibles, socks, underwear, coats, hats, gloves, razors, men's jeans, backpacks and other personal items anytime at its downtown shelter, 111 W. Burnside, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday at the Shepherd's Door facility, 13207 N.E. Halsey. The mission also has a suggested "care kit" that people can put together to help individual homeless men or women, including panhandlers.

- Central City Concern, which helps place homeless people into affordable housing and addiction recovery, accepts donations of a variety of items and keeps a list of seasonal needs – including school supplies in the late summer for homeless children – on its website.

-

runs shelters for families with children

,

and accepts new socks, jackets, personal care items and

, including baby formula, sippy cups, strollers and car seats, at its offices, located in the First United Methodist Church at 1828 S.W. Jefferson St. This winter, they especially need over-the-counter cold and flu medications, umbrellas, travel-sized packages of conditioner and pillowcases.

- Human Solutions Inc. runs shelters and day centers, including a family winter shelter that averages about 100 people a night -- half children. Potential donations include food, personal hygiene products and household cleaning products, blankets, linens, winter clothing, coats, new socks, underwear, unopened personal hygiene products, household cleaning supplies, kitchenware, canned food, baby formula and other food items. Donations are accepted Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 12727 S.E. Market Street in Portland.

- JOIN, an East Portland nonprofit that finds homeless people and helps them find housing, accepts donations of food, blankets, sleeping bags, tarps, socks, underwear, hats, gloves, jackets, razors, deodorant and feminine hygiene products from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily at 1435 N.E. 81st Ave., Suite 100.

- Raphael House of Portland, which helps victims of domestic violence, accepts donations of personal hygiene products for adults and babies, diapers, pull-ups, new pillows, twin sheets and blankets, household cleaning products, kitchenware and new socks and underwear. Donation hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month and 4 to 7 p.m. on the third Thursday, at Sunnyside United Methodist Church, 11 N.W. Fifth Ave. in Portland.

- The YWCA of Greater Portland, which helps victims of domestic violence through its Yolanda Project, accepts donations of bedding and linens, office supplies, kitchen wares, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products and new socks and underwear for women and children. Please call to schedule a drop-off time, 503- 294-7400.

- Open Door Counseling Center, a Hillsboro day center for homeless men and women, needs nonperishable food items, TriMet tickets, socks, tents, sleeping bags and blankets among other items. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 34420 S.W. Tualatin Valley Highway, Hillsboro.

- Northwest Housing Alternatives runs the Annie Ross House, a Clackamas County shelter for families, and helps people on the brink find affordable housing in 16 counties. In-kind donations to the family shelter and to low-income seniors can be made on Amazon.com through the agency's website.

- Clackamas Service Center, a day shelter at 8800 S.E. 80th Avenue in Portland, accepts gently used clothes and linens, small housewares such as dishes and utensils and personal hygiene items. In-kind donations can be dropped off with a volunteer -- please don't just leave them -- from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

- Father's Heart Street Ministry, an Oregon City day shelter, needs blue jeans for men and women, tee-shirts, sweatshirts, socks, thermal underwear, belts, personal hygiene items, sleeping bags, tarps, adult-sized backpacks and gloves, among the assortment.

-- Anna Griffin

(503) 412-7053; @annargriff