Generous Maitland shoppers paying it forward with Aussie Care Thornton hampers

They are paying for hampers at Thornton’s Aussie Care which will go to the local families who need it most. 

More than 40 meat hampers with vegetables or salad, and 42 pantry hampers, have already been bought.

The hampers will feed a family of four to six people and will be picked up or delivered just before Christmas. 

“It’s amazing to see that people have a heart for someone else at Christmas time,” sales and marketing manager Andrea Spencer said. 

“Some of the reactions bring tears to your eyes – it’s the fact that people don’t expect someone else to do this for them,” spokeswoman Donna Harrow added.

A donation of $40 will give a family roast beef, lamb or pork as well as one kilogram of potatoes, sweet potato, pumpkin and carrots as well as a bag of frozen vegetables, gravy and sauce. 

A donation of $55 will give a family a cold Christmas lunch with a shoulder ham, a lettuce, one kilogram of tomatoes and cucumber, two capsicums, three red onions and one dozen eggs. 

All of the vegetables and meat are sourced from Hunter farmers.

Aussie Care is also putting pantry hampers with a range of Australian-owned goods together on behalf of New Life Church in Heatherbrae.

“It means they’re not panicking about putting a meal on the table, it takes the stress away,” Ms Spencer said.

Ms Haddow said the not-for-profit organisation had a selection process to ensure the families who received a hamper were in need. 

She said anyone on a budget could find discounts at the store. 

“Anyone can shop here, we’re hear for everyone, for the working families, it makes the budget easier at the end of the day,” Ms Harrow said. 

“People can do a weekly shop here, we have fruit and vegetables, milk, cheese, eggs and personal items.”