Food banks in Seattle and New York have come up with unique ways to raise both donations and funds.

Food Lifeline, a Seattle-based nonprofit food distributor, may be opening its own food-processing plant to create a new source of food and launch a reliable revenue stream, the Puget Sound Business Journal reports.

The organization already had created a hand-processing facility last year to handle the growing amount of bulk food that needs to be processed and packaged before it can be supplied to King County food banks, the Business Journal reports.

At a time when welfare reform is limiting food-stamp benefits, many longtime sources of donated food are cutting back. Food Lifeline is investigating the idea of a food-processing plant and other business opportunities to relieve this situation.

On the East Coast, Vanguard Airlines is partnering with radio station 92.9 FM to help the Food Bank of Western New York get more food.

The air carrier will give one free round-trip ticket to each person who donates one case of food to the Food Bank on July 8, a Vanguard Airlines press release states.

Up to 1,000 tickets will be given for travel to Chicago-Midway, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Pittsburgh. Travel must be done between Sept. 8 and Nov. 17.

For more information about Vanguard's charitable programs, nonprofits can call (913) 789-1450.

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