Thursday morning, Kiwanis Food Bank Assistant Director Vicky Stratton was sifting through food outside their Cole Street doors.

It was the third time during the past two months someone has left a donation of perishable food during the night – food that has gone bad by morning.

“If they would just make arrangements we could take it,” Stratton said. “We don’t know where it’s coming from so we can’t use it.”

The food bank works under strict regulations and organizers need to know where donations originate and perishables, like the cottage cheese and milk dropped off, need to be refrigerated.

“It’s too bad, we used 36,000 pounds of food in November,” Stratton said, adding that 1,090 people were helped during that time.

“And more and more each month,” she said.

Stratton said she searched the boxes for a hint toward a donor, with no luck. She believes the donations are being dropped off between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Stratton is grateful for the donations, she just needs the donor to contact the food bank at 360-825-6188 to make arrangements for drop-off so someone can accept and properly store the items. Or, donors can stop in during regular hours, 9 and 11:45 a.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.