Food bank use in Windsor is up again.

With two months to go in 2012, some food banks in Windsor-Essex have already surpassed the total number of users from all of last year.

Last year, more than 235,000 visits were made to food banks in Windsor-Essex County, an increase of 20 per cent from the previous year.

The Windsor & Essex Food Bank Association is comprised of 18 local food bank agencies. Those 18 agencies serve 10,625 individuals on a monthly basis. That number doesn't include food banks not in the association.

At Goodfellows in Windsor, people are registering for Christmas baskets that include lots of non-perishable foods.

Jacqueline Cain is one of the people who registered for a basket this week.

Her first visit to the food bank was in 1972, when she had two young children.

She was on social assistance then, but soon she got a job in the auto industry with GM sewing upholstery and then she worked at Chrysler.

She was back on her feet. Now, she's back at the food bank.

"When I started working, I didn't need the assistance. I left that for somebody else," she said. "And then I found myself retired and getting low on funds again and that's why I'm here.

"I didn't realize my pension would be as small as it is. And that I would be on my own. You don't plan to be on your own but here I am."

Cain said coming back to the food bank after years away was difficult. But something surprised her.

"I noticed when I was standing in line a few times I wasn't the only one from my position in the same boat," she said. "So it was kind of nice to know there was a bit of camaraderie there."

At the Downtown Mission, they have a food bank but they also serve a lunchtime meal every day for those who need it. Cindy Fortey is someone who does.

She was a nurse, but injuries have prevented her from working. She's now on welfare and is waiting to go on disability assistance.

Fortey has been coming to lunch at the mission every day and uses the food bank regularly.

"I have no money out of my cheque. They only give me enough to pay my rent and that's it," she said. "I have no money for food so coming here and having the food bank and everything is really a great help. If it wasn't for the mission, giving out food and food banks, and food for lunch, I'd be in a lot of trouble."

Some area food banks say they are struggling to meet everyone's needs.

Mary-Jo Kovacs is the food room manager at the Downtown Mission. She said every year she thinks the economy is going to get better and the numbers are going to go down.

For the last three years though, more people are coming to the mission..

"To continue to meet that need, we're constantly having to ask the public who supports us so wonderfully ... to even be more generous," Kovacs said. "The reality is also the people who we used to rely to be donors perhaps are users themselves now. So it makes it even more of a challenge for us to continue to meet the needs. We have been able to do it. However, it can be very scary."

Food banks do the bulk of their collecting during the holiday season to sustain them throughout the year. As the need grows, so does the need for donations.

The Downtown Mission for example, really needs canned meat and fish, plus staples like peanut butter and jelly.

CBC Windsor we'll be having its own food drive to assist the Unemployed Help Centre, which distributes donations to food banks throughout the region.

Anyone who would like to get involved and make a donation can drop them off at our studios at 825 Riverside Drive W. CBC Windsor is collecting from now until Dec. 14.