Guest of honour was the Hon. Kobi Shetty, the state MP for Balmain and a member of the Greens.
Her participation had a clear meaning: her electorate includes Leichhardt, the home of the association, and her role in Parliament has helped the Neapolitan Association access concrete support from the New South Wales Government.
Over the past few years, the association has received more than $80,000 in state funding to improve its facilities. The grants enabled the installation of two new air-conditioning units, roof repairs, an upgraded grease trap and a new energy-efficient lighting system.
These improvements were made possible through the Community Building Partnership Program, a long-running State Government initiative that supports infrastructure projects considered valuable to local communities.
The NSW Government is investing in “shovel-ready” community infrastructure capable of delivering social, environmental and recreational benefits while also encouraging participation, inclusion and cohesion.
Since 2009, the Community Building Partnership has funded more than 22,400 projects, with a total investment of over $505 million, making it one of the NSW’s most reliable programs for community organisations.
During the meeting, a heartfelt acknowledgement was made to former MP Jamie Parker, who, during the application process for the roof repair grant, organised Zoom sessions to guide the association step-by-step through the paperwork.
For volunteers handling such an application for the first time, his support was crucial, and the project ultimately received the full amount requested. It was a gesture the association wanted to recognise publicly.
Inviting Ms Shetty was therefore an act of gratitude—a way to thank the NSW Government for its support, but also to showcase the role of the association itself: a place that builds connections, preserves traditions and offers a social space that prevents isolation and strengthens community belonging.
During the evening, Shetty expressed her appreciation for the association’s work, acknowledging its importance in keeping the Italian community connected and encouraging active social engagement.
Her words highlighted the value of an open, ongoing dialogue between communities and their elected representatives.
The evening was a toast to the past, the present and to the community’s confidence in the future—a future the Neapolitan Association continues to build, one step at a time.
And the next opportunity to come together is already on the horizon as the association will celebrate Christmas, looking to finish the year with the same spirit of warmth, connection and gratitude that defined this latest gathering.
