(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) William Pinkey sorts clothing for the needy at the St. Vincent de Paul's donations processing room, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. Pamela Atkinson, lifelong charity worker and advocate for the homeless, said direct donations to homeless individuals are a public safety and health concern. Atkinson said at a news conference that she is very appreciative of the giving spirit of Utahns to those less fortunate, but she requested that donations be made to local service providers like Catholic Community Services, Crossroads Urban Center, The Road Home and VOA, not directly to individuals on downtown city streets.