How do you build a community around a systemic problem such as food justice in a crisis via creative resilience methodologies? In what ways can the lessons learned in a creative crisis response help foster a more adaptive and responsive food system in preparing for future crises? ‘We’ve never done this before’ became the motto of Fawkner Commons when local residents, Jen Rae from Fair Share Fare and partner Sally Beattie co-founder of Fawkner Food Bowls mobilised local food producers, community members and partners to covert a community garden into an urban farm and a disused lawn bowling club into a community-led COVID-19-response food hub. Fawkner, the most food insecure and culturally diverse suburb in the City of Merri-bek1 (5kms north of the CBD of Melbourne, Australia) was heavily impacted by the 2020–21 COVID-19 Victorian state lockdowns, restrictions, case numbers and deaths. While most food relief organisations closed or were overwhelmed, Fawkner Commons became a central hub for food aggregation and provisioning, distributing over $116K boxes of no-cost/low-cost culturally relevant food boxes and over 2,400 prepared meals in 2020. This article is a critical reflection delving into some of the creative methodologies underpinning the success of Fawkner Commons and its legacy in the community. With a focus on social cohesion, accessibility and inclusion, it offers lessons to support the transformation of other hyperlocal food systems to become more adaptive, responsive and collaborative working with communities, artists, local government and food organisations.