TORONTO - A record number of people are turning to food banks in Ontario as the province battles an economic downturn, the Ontario Association of Food Banks said Tuesday.

About 375,000 Ontario residents use food banks each month, even though one third of people in those households are employed, the group said, adding it has seen a 19 per cent spike in the number of people served since last year.

"There is little doubt that this has been our most difficult year in a generation," said Adam Spence, executive director of the Ontario Association of Food Banks.

"The alarming numbers offer a front-line reality that is a counter-point to the green shoots and leading economic indicators that point to a technical end to the recession."

The group is calling on the province to, among other things, review its social assistance rules and create a farm donation tax credit for producers who support local food banks.

Premier Dalton McGuinty called the increase "sad but perhaps not surprising" given the economic situation in a province facing a $25-billion deficit.

"It's not surprising that there are more people who are having to avail themselves of the resources to be found at food banks," McGuinty said.

"I would ask Ontarians to keep that in mind, particularly during the holiday season, when we have an opportunity, each in our own way, to make a contribution to our local food banks."

The report found that 35.9 per cent of people using food banks are 16 years old or younger, while 33 per cent are recent immigrants, living in Canada for four years or less.

Fifty-four per cent of new Canadians turning to food banks have a post-secondary degree or diploma, while in 53 per cent of households with children turning to food banks, at least one member does not have a warm winter coat.

Many food banks have also not been able to meet the increased demand, with one in four reducing the amount of food distributed in their hampers.

The 19 per cent increase this year compared with an increase of 11 per cent in 2008 and of 10 per cent during the 1990s recession.

Among its recommendations, the report also calls on the federal government to expand eligibility and increase benefit levels for Employment Insurance and develop and implement a national poverty reduction strategy that commits to a 50 per cent reduction in poverty in Canada by 2020.