It seems they need it now more than ever. This is where I make the bulk of my charitable donations and I believe it provides an effective bang for the buck. No fundraising percentages cut out and little or no bureaucratic overhead means your money goes directly to the people who need food.
I've recently received an incredible response to this suggestion from a right wingnutzi business associate that went something like this, "People don't starve to death in America, that's a myth!" Gobsmacked? What can I say, I sure was. I didn't even know how to reply to that, I just kind of stood there with my mouth hanging open while he walked away...
UPDATE: Thanks to burningapathy for a food bank donation link: Feeding America
Are people starving to death in America today? I don't know the answer to that question but I assume that almost assuredly at least some people are. Not counting anorexia, which is a another sad topic for some other discussion, there are the infirm and elderly, who are not always able to prepare, nor procure, food for themselves; the chronically mentally ill and homeless, who often suffer from severe malnutrition and dehydration; and poverty stricken folks in general, who must often choose between food and the other basic necessities of life.
After some thought, I realized that his argument was inherently fallacious. It really doesn't matter if people are actually starving to death if they're going hungry and suffering the effects of undernourishment on a daily basis. Fortunately, I've never needed food stamps but I have seen how they can be misused. Still, minor misuse is acceptable to me and even the government directly handing out money is, in this instance, tolerable to my libertarian principles given the stakes. I would much prefer that food and proper nutrition were provided directly as goods and services but the way things are, I'll take what I can get.
Last year, I cut my usual $1k holiday food bank donation in half because I was on a tight budget. However, since personal finances have been kinder to me this year than to the country at large, I intend to double my nominal donation and I hope all of those in the same situation will do likewise.