The 28 teams who participated in the third annual Spectrum Brands Food Drive Challenge gathered at Mirabella’s Table, Rogers, to celebrate surpassing its goal and for the awards presentation.

The teams collected 282,804 pounds of food for the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, surpassing the goal of 250,000 pounds. The food drive ran from Nov. 1-16. Last year, the drive collected 133,675 pounds of food.

Daniel Boone, the team lead at Spectrum Brands, thanked those attending for their help in surpassing the goal. Last year, 133,000 pounds was raised.

“I thought it was impossible, but we did it,” Boone said.

Kent Eikenberry, president and CEO of the Food Bank, said, “On behalf of more than 63,000 people who are food insecure, I thank you.”

“Food insecurity is the silent challenge,” he said. “Advocacy partners, such as yourselves are important. Thank you and Spectrum Brands.”

Boone expects the challenge to grow and hopes to raise 350,000 pounds next year.

General Mills won the award for collecting the most overall pounds of food and the large-division winner at 28,331.

Castrol Brands was the overall small-team winner with 11,471 pounds collected. Castrol also collected the most pounds per capita at 900 pounds.

Team Direct collected the most food in the medium division at 21,770 pounds.

In addition, Spectrum Brands collected 57,768 pounds of food.

In addition to Spectrum Brands, the other participants in this year’s challenge are 3W, Cargill - Turkey Processing Plant, Castrol Brands, Clorox, Cameron Smith & Associates, Earl, MD, Englander, Gallagher, General Mills, Hershey's, ITW Brands, Johnson & Johnson, Johnson Controls, Kreative, Mondelez, Newell Brands, Nielsen, Pepsico, Post Consumer Brands, Shell, Signature Bank, Smithfield Foods, Smuckers, TeamDirect, Unilever, Waste Management, and Wells Foods.

There are more than 63,000 people with food insecurities in the four counties -- Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington – served by the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank and its more than 160 partner agencies.