Good in the Hood began with a simple act of kindness.

In March 2020, as our community was thrown into uncertainty, local restaurateur Marco De Angelis from Our Place on Darling reached out to Vinnies Rozelle and offered twenty free meals for neighbours doing it tough.

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That small gesture sparked something larger.

It brought together three locals, Marco, Ashley McGrath and Carly Freel, who believed that community should be a place where no one is left unseen. Together, they transformed those first twenty meals into what is now Good in the Hood.

 

With the support of Vinnies and the Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre, the program grew quickly. Volunteers stepped up. Restaurants, cafés and food stores joined in. Routes were coordinated, new residents were identified, and connection became the heart of everything.

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What began as 20for1 evolved into a fully fledged community charity.

Today Good in the Hood delivers more than 20,000 meals, hampers and snack packs every year across Balmain, Lilyfield, Birchgrove and Rozelle. But our impact is not measured by numbers alone. The real story is the connection created along the way.

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We learned that even in a vibrant and mostly affluent community, many neighbours were quietly experiencing loneliness, isolation and a sense of disconnection. Older residents living alone. People with health challenges. Locals with little family nearby. Individuals slipping through gaps in support.

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Surrounded by people, yet feeling alone.

We heard this again and again.

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So Good in the Hood became more than a food program. It became a charity dedicated to tackling loneliness by building meaningful human connections. Our volunteers do more than deliver meals. They check in, they chat, they listen, they form lasting relationships. Many tell us they joined to help others but stayed because of the friendships and purpose they found themselves.

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Our work now goes beyond weekly deliveries.

Our Cooking for Good program brings local schools into the fold, giving students the chance to learn about community, compassion and kindness by cooking meals for neighbours who need support. It is a practical way for young people to discover the power they have to make a difference.

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Every part of Good in the Hood is built on the same belief. Kindness scales. Connection matters. Community is strengthened when people look out for one another.

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Our mission is simple.

To create an inclusive neighbourhood where every resident knows they are valued, supported and seen.

And with thousands of connections made each year, we are only just getting started.