We are excited to announce Mirandra Browne from The Entrance Food Hub as your 2023 Westfield Local Hero for Tuggerah!

Westfield is proud to award a community grant of $20K to help Mirandra and The Entrance Food Hub to continue to grow their impact in the local community

The 2023 Westfield Local Heroes program will award 126 grants across Australia and New Zealand – totalling $1.26 million to support local communities.

For further information or to discover the Westfield Local Heroes at other Westfield centres, visit the Westfield Local Heroes website.

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Your 2023 Westfield Tuggerah Local Hero is:

Mirandra Browne

The Entrance Food Hub

Amazing. Resilient. Kind.

Generous Mirandra Browne has started a social enterprise that provides hundreds of Central Coast people with food and other essentials.

Mirandra is the President of the volunteer-run The Entrance Food Hub, which provides very low-cost or free food to families struggling to make ends meet.

There’s also a Hub for low-cost clothing and household items.

Mirandra has a deep connection to her community and was driven to act when she saw people around her needed help. Everything grew from there.

The Food Hub is open four days a week and serves around 150 people per day, equating to about 600 families per week. But there’s so much need that Mirandra would open seven days a week if she could.

While customers visit The Hub for low-cost or free items, Mirandra ensures they also benefit from the social connection provided by her team of caring volunteers and from having somewhere they can go for a chat.

The Hub team can also refer people to other services, making it a one-stop shop for people in need.

Mirandra welcomes the recognition of being nominated as a Westfield Local Hero. “I have a need to bring joy to others through food and social connection,” she says.

The Entrance Food Hub will use its funds to build a storage room and to fit out the store with freezers and shelving.

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We'd like to thank and acknowledge our finalists who will receive a $5K grant for the organisation they represent...

Kim Juresa from Berkeley Vale Neighbourhood Centre Association Inc.

Retired nurse Kim Juresa is the driving force behind the provision of food and connection for at least 1000 locals as the President of the Berkeley Vale Neighbourhood Centre. The centre offers a food pantry and hosts communal meals and Brekkie on the Go gatherings for school children.

Sharyn Becker from Because We Care Boutique

Selfless Sharyn Becker works tirelessly at the Because We Care Boutique in Glenning Valley to provide women overcoming adversity with attire for different occasions. Women visit the volunteer-run store for free consultations and receive outfits for job interviews, court appearances, work or important appointments. Many of the women are provided with full work wardrobes.

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If you need support, please phone Lifeline: 13 11 14

Recognising all our 2023 nominees

View all of the Westfield Tuggerah nominees and their organisations.