A new report shows singles and seniors are increasingly relying on Ontario's food banks.

Volunteers were busy sorting through the donations at the Barrie Food bank on Monday for the Christmas Food Drive. The goal this year is to bring in 175,000 pounds of non-perishable foods.

“There is a need out there unfortunately, I say unfortunately because we shouldn't need food banks in our society, but we do,” says volunteer Tom Moynihan.

According to the Ontario Association of Food Banks, nearly 360,000 people visited food banks in the province in March of this year and a growing number are seniors

The annual hunger report released on Monday shows a 35 per cent jump in the number of seniors turning to food banks for assistance in 2015 when compared to last year.

In Barrie, the number of seniors using the food bank jumped from 24 to 78 this year and the numbers aren't likely to improve.

“I'm afraid the food bank will start to see not just another 54 this year, but another 50 next year and another 50 the following year,” says Peter Sundborg of the Barrie Food Bank.

The Newmarket Food Pantry has spiked by nearly 30 per cent. Officials say 400 seniors currently use the food bank every year. In 2013, there were only 250.

The report also says singles now account for roughly 49 per cent of food bank visits, an 11 per cent increase over five years and the highest number on record.

Another key finding laid out in the report is that the vast majority of food bank users have an income of less than $1,100 a month and after paying rent there is little left for food. 

With files from The Canadian Press.