Lynda Montgomery stands at a doorway on 437 Hunter Street, welcoming in the city's most vulnerable.
When the long-term volunteer leaves Newcastle charity, Soul Hub, for the day she always takes the people she meets with her in her heart.
"People matter absolutely," she said.
"To experience someone else's story is a very, very powerful encounter and I feel very privileged to listen to someone's life journey."
November 13 is World Kindness Day, and volunteers and staff at the not-for-profit are always making a difference by serving meals and helping connect people with essential support services.
Ms Montgomery is sometimes the first face guests see, and she tries to meet people where they are emotionally at.
"I've had a privileged life, I'm 78 next month, and I still feel that I can use whatever gifts I've got to make life a little bit better for others," she said.
Over the last two years, Ms Montgomery had seen people come to Soul Hub and find a sense of community, and belonging.
Regular Soul Hub guest Adrian Butler said it was a fantastic facility, and the volunteers were great.
"I'd love to know how many lives this place has saved over the years," he said.
As an educator and an academic, Ms Montogomery would urge young people to strive to make a difference.
"It doesn't cost anything to be kind, to be aware of another human being," she said.
Cooks Hill year 12 student, Joseph Hicks, is one young person helping his local community as he completes work experience in the Soul Hub kitchen.
"I feel good that I can make a difference, I didn't think I would be able to," he said.
"We have all been in bad positions in our lives and it is always good to have someone there for you."
All the way from Norway, university exchange student Hermine Eriksen comes every Wednesday to prepare lunch.
"It's a great community, all the people are so welcoming. It's nice to have something to do to help the Newcastle community," she said.
Newcastle local Jo Wright wanted to do something practical in the community while her kids were at school.
"It's just nice to be able to make connections with people, both volunteers and the guests that come here to just brighten someone's day a little bit," Ms Wright said.
Holiday pressure
In 2023, Soul Hub served more than 60,000 meals and provided around 5000 hampers and 8000 hygiene packs.
But manager Matt Ortiger said demand for their services had only grown.
Since this time last year, services, number of guests, and hampers had increased by 40 per cent, Mr Origer said.
"There is a real sense at the moment that the need just seems to be continuing to grow unabated," he said.
While the city has its fair share of non-governmental and government services, vulnerable people still fall through the gaps.
Mr Ortiger said the cost of living pressure only becomes harsher as the holiday period approaches.
"There's the expectation that Christmas should be fabulous, but often it's not. In a weird way Christmas amplifies our losses and our struggles," he said.
Items become more expensive while services shut down or go into skeleton mode over Christmas, he said.
"So as the pressure comes up on people, the amount of help available goes down, so it creates almost a perfect storm of difficulty for people who are vulnerable," he said.
"People's need doesn't go on holiday."
