More Good: The Hong Kong charity that believes everyone deserves to eat well

So, what is More Good all about?

TK: It's three things: food, community, and impact. Everything that we're doing is centred around food, building a community around that—be it the beneficiaries that we're providing to or the benefactors that are giving their time, energy and resources towards it all—and then ensuring that the impact of what we do at any of those levels is clear and tangible.

BF: We want More Good to be something that people can relate to. We developed everything so we know the whole process, from making the meals to delivering them and speaking to people on the streets. We can then tell this story to our community and supporters which I think is really important. In Hong Kong, I think we're not able to relate to some charities because there is a communication breakdown but we want people to be able to come in and just understand what we're doing. And then they can get their hands dirty [and volunteer] as well. That's something I think differentiates us from everything else.

Who are your beneficiaries? 

TK: We've got four beneficiaries right now. We have our own community here in Chai Wan, with 225 registered beneficiaries who are predominantly elderly. Having our own network of beneficiaries is very important—not just for us to be able to provide a meal for them but also to create a space where they can come and contribute as well. We have a number of beneficiaries who come and spend time in our kitchen and help with those meals, and those who attend some of our events.

We're trying to move away from this very linear charity space where you have people who give money to the people who do the work and the people who accept it at the end. Instead, we're creating a space where these people have a choice to give back and take something along the way too.

The three other organisations we work with in Hong Kong are the Justice Centre [which focuses on the protection of refugees, asylum seekers and other forced migrants]; Refugee Union [which also protects refugee rights and aims to safeguard their wellbeing]; and Impact Hong Kong [who provide food, shelter, education and employment opportunities to those who are homeless in Hong Kong].

In your opinion, what makes a nutritious meal?

TK: Fresh and wholesome ingredients that come from a good source. It's something that is healthy and sits well in the belly but is also going to be enjoyable.

BF: A nutritious meal should make you happy, it should taste good, comfort you and make you feel good about it. People were sceptical at first but we got feedback from people saying ‘oh, I actually enjoyed that salad’. 

Tell us about your partnership with Agustin Balbi of Andō, who is More Good's official ambassador

TK: Agustin has been a great ambassador for us. We now have these trained, talented, and passionate professionals and chefs who are coming in to tackle this problem. And they just have that level of expertise, something that's generally been reserved for fine dining and for people who have money. 

What has More Good achieved so far?

TK: We produced 16,000 meals out of our own kitchen in 2022. And we're really proud to be able to say that we're doing almost 800 meals a week—a leap from the 160 meals we started off doing, and this is just the start. We're also proud to work with our three partner organisations who are great at what they do and are able to provide those meals to their beneficiaries week in, week out. We were also able to hold over 90 volunteer sessions in our space in 2022.

And how do you plan to build on that this year?

TK: Moving into 2023, we're thinking about how to increase those numbers, and how to provide more volunteer opportunities and heightened experiences so volunteers can take something away from it and continue to spread our message. And that's the community-building aspect we're talking about. We will continue to provide these opportunities but we are not limiting it to what we're able to do right now.

How can the rest of us do more good?

TK: The easiest one is to volunteer your time. Come by on a Monday, Friday, or Sunday and spend time in our kitchen. You can also come and attend the events that we hold here. That's how we raise awareness for what we do but also how we fundraise. We bring people in from the F&B and hospitality industry to host fun events regularly, so you can come to eat food, have a drink and get involved in whatever activities we've got going on.

BF: We also have a huge space that people can rent for private use. You can host an event: a birthday party, wedding reception or corporate team building with us here, where we can showcase what we do and do it all for a good cause.

TK: And, of course, donations help too!

What else can we look forward to with More Good?

TK: We also provide opportunities for kids and families to come out here, learn and volunteer. That's something that we're looking forward to doing more of this year. That, and building out our network of beneficiaries.

More Good will host various events in the coming months including a volunteering program in collaboration with Andō and other top chefs to prepare, cook and distribute meal boxes to vulnerable groups and communities in Hong Kong. Led by chef Agustin Balbi, they will enlist the help of chefs from Amber, Écriture, Embla, Estro, Hansik Goo, Little Bao and Roganic to make nutritious meal boxes. There are also plans for a fundraising gala dinner hosted by Matt Abergel, Agustin Balbi and Ricardo Chaneton of Mono in April.

Head to moregoodhk.com to find out more and keep an eye on other upcoming events and volunteering opportunities.

More Good, Unit A, 5/F, Sum Lung Industrial Building, 11 Sun Yip Street, Chai Wan, Hong Kong