While most charities have struggled to raise money during the recession, a few charities have beat the odds, achieving increases of 10 percent or more despite–or perhaps because–of the bad economy.

Even as many social-service organizations have grappled with soaring demand and declining donations in recent months, Feeding America, the national network of food banks, has thrived. In the final quarter of last year, for example, Feeding America raised $26.5-million, up 51.4 percent from the same period in 2008.

Leaders of the anti-hunger group say the increase is in large part because donors recognize the extreme rise in demand for basic services like food and shelter as the economic crisis has taken its toll.

Those donors include corporations interested in polishng their image in the wake of federal bailouts and controversy over high pay at financial companies. Bank of America last year gave Feeding America $1-million in cash, and JPMorgan Chase donated $5-milllion. But other grant makers have also stepped forward: Google donated $2-million, while the Lincy Foundation, created by the billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, has given nearly $50-million.

In addition, the charity has benefited after changing its name 14 months ago from America’s Second Harvest to Feeding America. “Now that we are Feeding America, people understand what we are trying to accomplish,” says Janet Gibbs, the network’s chief financial officer.

While the fund-raising climate looks bright indeed for the immediate future, Ms. Gibbs says that Feeding America could face problems once the economy starts to improve.

“When the market goes back up, and unemployment isn’t so outrageous, people don’t see the need,” she says. “But it takes a long time for things to recover. Our challenge is to keep donors once the market goes back up.”