Hard Times at the Food Bank
I was talking with a friend who works at the local food bank, and she was telling me that food banks tend to get hit doubly hard when the economy isn't doing well.
The first thing is that more people are struggling, so the demand for food and services goes up. At the same time, people who usually give small donations (say $20-50) can't give as much as usual, meaning a smaller budget to work with. All of this adds up to more demand and less resources, making things pretty tough.
Anyway, if it's within your means to give a few dollars or spend some time volunteering, times like these are when you can have the most impact on your local charities.