Although the Seahawks weren’t able to claim a second Super Bowl title for Seattle, chef John Howie of Redmond is bringing home a different victory for the city. For the third consecutive year, Howie and former Seahawk and musician Craig Terrill raised the most money in the country during the Taste of the NFL’s Kick Hunger Challenge. Representing the Seahawks, the duo raised $127,344 for Food Lifeline; Western Washington’s nonprofit food distribution center. With the additional $10,000 provided by Taste of the NFL as prize money, Food Lifeline will be able to provide 686,720 meals across Western Washington.

“What an amazing result; it just goes to show what a great community can do when we work together,” commented Howie. “So many great community leaders were working behind the scenes to make this happen. Now, 686,720 people will get a meal that wasn’t there for them four months ago. How cool is that?”

Howie and Terrill partnered once again to represent the Seahawks this year in the Kick Hunger Challenge; an online-only fundraising campaign spearheaded by Taste of the NFL. This friendly “competition” pits fans from all 32 NFL teams and the Hall of Fame against each other to raise money for food banks in NFL communities nationwide. Throughout the 2014-15 football season, fans had the opportunity to support one of the 32 NFL teams and directly impact the donation of thousands of meals to food banks in their team’s community.

“Even though Western Washington is swept up in Hawk-Mania, the ‘Twelves’ never forget those in need,” commented Linda Nageotte, Food Lifeline president and CEO. “That says so much about us. They’re not just fans, they’re our friends. And we thank each and every one of them.”

Howie’s efforts to raise money for the Kick Hunger Challenge included raffling off an autographed Russell Wilson jersey, professionally framed by Lake City Framing. Other fundraising efforts included a chili cook-off and auction at Metropolitan Market in Kirkland, the sale of Kick Hunger Challenge T-shirts designed by Ames Bros and the donation of $1 from each specialty cocktail sold at John Howie Restaurants from November through January. To conclude the Kick Hunger Challenge campaign, Howie hosted the third annual Kick Hunger Challenge auction and dinner at SPORT Restaurant & Bar in January.

With the help of the charitable people of Washington, Howie and Terrill were able to beat out the top Kick Hunger Challenge teams, New England and Arizona, and continue the fight to kick hunger in Western Washington.