Preble Street staff welcomed donated baked goods from TI's MFAB employees, who bought or baked desserts for one evening meal at the soup kitchen and shelter.

Employees at TI's Maine fab (MFAB) are not afraid of a challenge, especially when it comes to meeting a critical need to feed low-income residents in their local community.

Recently, employees accepted the challenge posed by their Community Involvement Team (CIT) to earn $2,500 for the Preble Street Resource Center, a local soup kitchen and shelter.

The CIT, made up of a cross section of MFAB employees, encouraged employees to meet the challenge by baking or buying a dessert for an evening meal at the soup kitchen. The goal was participation by at least 100 employees.

Anne Gauthier, Maine public affairs manager, said employees enthusiastically met and exceeded the goal.

"We selected two days, one in February and one in March, to accommodate participation from all the shifts," Gauthier said. "On March 23, we achieved our goal - 120 employees from all shifts donated enough desserts for two evening meals.

"Having achieved our goal, we were able to request a $2,500 donation from the TI Community Fund in support of the organization."

Members of the CIT chose to support Preble Street because of the increasing challenge faced by many soup kitchens and shelters to feed a growing number of people in the greater Portland, Maine, area.

"As with many soup kitchens, the number of low-income adults, children and families needing meals and other vital services has increased drastically in recent years," Gauthier said.

"None of us can eliminate hunger in our neighborhoods, but thanks to the generosity of MFAB employees and the TI Community Fund, we can be part of the solution." With the help of 5,000 volunteers a year and the generous support of local food drives and donated food, Preble Street Resource Center serves 480,000 meals a year.