“Most communities have some kind of crisis hot line, or the local United Way will have a 2-1-1 line,” said Brian O’Malley, executive director of the Homeless Services Coalition of Greater Kansas City, in Missouri. In some cities, including New York, the hot line number is 3-1-1.”

As hard as it may be not to take this person in your car or home, leave the heavy lifting to the professionals. Stephan Russo of the Goddard Riverside Community Center in Manhattan explains, “we’ve been doing this work for a very long time, and what we tell people is it is better to donate funds and resources to organizations that are in the business of helping homeless people and have professionals on their staff who know how to do this.”

“If you see someone who’s clearly incapacitated, the best thing is just to call the police. The police know how to handle it,” O’Malley said.

“We don’t really promote giving people cash money,” said Deronda Metz, director of social services for the Salvation Army of Charlotte, North Carolina. “If you have a blanket, that would be great. If you have food to give, that would be double good. We don’t promote giving people a ride.”

Even if you give a blanket to someone in need, you should still notify the authorities. Often times, these folks have health conditions and need to get indoors. Your blanket or coat may prevent them from going to a shelter, which are often crowded. Many homeless people would rather risk the outdoors alone than be in a busy shelter.

“There are times when groups will come into the city, [trying to help folks,] whether through food or a blanket — well-intentioned — but we don’t want it to be more comfortable for people to be there,” said Russo. “The goal is to get people off the streets and into housing.”

“Many times, people won’t want your help,” said Christy Parque, executive director of Homeless Services United, a coalition of homeless service agencies in New York City. “Sometimes people forget that [homeless] people have the right to ask for help or not ask for help, and it’s tragic sometimes, but we need to respect their rights,” she said.

It is also important to remember and practice the well-known concept of safety in numbers. If you are going to approach someone, do so with another person as a pair to protect all parties involved.

If you want to help, your best bet is by helping out the helpers. Donate coats, food, blankets and other supplies to local shelters and notify the outreach groups if you come across someone in need of assistance this season. For a list of shelters in your neighborhood, visit homelessshelterdirectory.org.

Read the full article of tips at CNN.com.