A neighbourhood food hub established by a Thornton resident is now providing fresh and affordable groceries to more than 40 households across the growing region.

Megan Elliott launched the hub almost four years ago after noticing limited access to similar services on her side of the highway.

The Thornton local had initially been travelling about 15 minutes to collect groceries from a hub in Maitland.

“There was nothing like it on our side of the highway, and people were travelling just to access it,” she said.

“After a couple of weeks, I thought this is something I could do.”

Within weeks, Megan had generated enough interest to establish the service, connecting households from Thornton, Beresfield, Tarro, Ashtonfield and surrounding suburbs.

About 45 households now collect their groceries from the hub each Thursday, with the service approaching capacity.

The hub operates through Box Divvy, a community-based grocery model that allows neighbours to order food online before collecting it from a local coordinator.

Members can choose the items they need each week, including fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and pantry staples.

Most products are sourced from Australian suppliers, while pooled orders are designed to reduce costs, improve freshness and limit packaging.

Megan said the model appealed to her as families continued to feel pressure from rising living expenses.

“It made sense from a cost-of-living perspective, but also knowing you’re supporting local farmers and getting real food, not just what’s on supermarket shelves,” she said.

For many members, collecting from the hub has become part of their weekly routine, with some households setting up recurring orders.

“There’s comfort in knowing you’ll always have something fresh at home, as the produce lasts longer than supermarket produce,” Megan said.

While affordability and convenience remain important, Megan said one of the most rewarding outcomes had been the community formed around the hub.

Members contribute to a weekly kindness box, which includes fresh food, household essentials and other items for people experiencing hardship.

“If someone in the hub needs support, it stays local,” Megan said.

“Otherwise, it goes to the wider community.”

The kindness box has supported local families during difficult periods and has also been shared with organisations including Mindaribba Aboriginal Preschool and community outreach programs.

“It’s something people don’t have to do, but they want to,” Megan said.

“The hub really pulls together when someone needs a bit of extra support.”

Running the hub also provides Megan with a small source of additional income, helping offset grocery costs for her own household.

“It helps cover a lot of our fruit and vegetables each week, but more than that, it’s something I genuinely enjoy doing,” she said.

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