The Sugarvalley Neighbourhood Centre offers a range of services to vulnerable residents of Wallsend, Holmesville, Seahampton, Barnsley and Killingworth. 

The areas are identified as among the Hunter’s most remote and disadvantaged. 

The centre will now receive $41,000 from the Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation, allowing residents to dodge a public transport commute that can stretch beyond three hours. 

Centre co-ordinator Michelle Brosnahan said the centre was many things to many people, and could be more following the grant. 

“We’re always stretching our resources so the grant from Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation was a generous recognition of the role our staff and volunteers provide to our clients and community,” she said.

“We are extremely grateful,” Ms Brosnahan said.

The Centre will use the vehicle to pick up and drop off hygiene parcels, distribute SecondBite and Oz Harvest food, transport people to medical appointments, bring people to the Centre for health and social services appointments, and allow staff to access more competitively priced groceries on behalf of disadvantaged or immobile residents.

The Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation distributes more than $1.5 million in grants annually.