Addi Road Community Organisation

Addi Road Community Organisation A charity in Marrickville, Sydney, we elevate human rights, arts & culture and sustainability. We feed over 8,00 people every week.

We provide food relief to over 8,500 people every week who are struggling. We also manage a 3.6ha heritage site, and licence spaces to artists and NGOs. A charity and non-government funded community development organisation in Sydney elevating human rights, arts & culture, and sustainability. Addi Road is on Crown Land – a vast 3.6-hectare heritage and former army depot site in Marrickville – a ce

ntre of diversity where people of all cultures, ethnicities, ages and abilities meet, learn, and collaborate. We address food insecurity by operating two low-cost, food-rescue Food Pantry stores in Marrickville and Camperdown. We also provide discounted spaces in our community centre for artists, theatres, NGOs and other community services.

142 Addison Road, Marrickville, 2204

Ph: (02) 9569 7633
Email: [email protected]

In this FULLY LIT episode ( #31), their podcast team heads on down to Addi Road Writers’ Festival 2026 to record a wide‑...
04/06/2026

In this FULLY LIT episode ( #31), their podcast team heads on down to Addi Road Writers’ Festival 2026 to record a wide‑ranging conversation on masculinity, vulnerability, and the inner lives of men.

Writer and essayist Luke Carman is joined by George Haddad, author of 'Losing Face', and debut novelist Jett Williams to explore what it means to write — and read — men today.

From graffiti culture and underground urban exploration to questions of embodiment, intimacy and cultural expectation, the discussion moves between lived experience and literary form.

Williams reflects on writing for readers who don’t usually pick up books, while Haddad speaks candidly about hospitality, identity and the complexities of masculinity within family and culture.

Together, they consider why art can still feel “embarrassing” for young men, the pressures of conformity, and the value of writing that resists easy answers. Along the way, they ask what it means to represent masculinity beyond crisis — and whether literature can offer something more honest, more expansive.

At its core, this is a conversation about connection: how we find language for difficult experiences, and how the most personal stories can resonate far beyond the self.

The session at Addi Road Writers' Festival 2026 was dubbed 'Are the Boys Alright? | Men's Interior Life in Books Today'. We were honoured to have Luke Carman, Dr George Haddad and Jet Williams joins ARWF2026 and assure that good, strong, complex voices were out there.

We were doubly pleased that Fully Lit, in association with Sydney Review of Books and UTS, took the trouble to record this important conversation at our festival here at the community centre in May.

Please share this important talk from Addi Road Writers' Festival 2026. Thanks to Fully Lit for being there with us:
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/31-masculinity-vulnerability-growing-up-are-the-boys/id1804215744?i=1000771094857

The team from Pathfinders are back to drop off another load of pumpkins 🎃Each year they do a road trip from Armidale all...
04/06/2026

The team from Pathfinders are back to drop off another load of pumpkins 🎃

Each year they do a road trip from Armidale all the way to Addi Road in Sydney’s Marrickville with a group of young people and goodness knows how many pumpkins.

The trailers are unloaded and two full pallet sized boxes are stacked up in our Gumbramorra Hall. It’s safe to say these pumpkins won’t be hanging around for long. We’ll distribute some of them through our two food pantries and use the rest in meals that will go out to community. Our chef Heather is already busy plotting soups, roasts, bakes and other pumpkin-powered delights.

Thanks to the wonderful team at Pathfinders for clocking up the kilometres and delivering this impressive pumpkin donation to Addi Road 🚚🧡

-

You can help support the work Addi Road does by donating here:
https://support-addi-road-this-eofy.raiselysite.com/

Addi Road Writers' Festival 2026 was one of our biggest festivals so far. With seven panels on that day that covered eve...
01/06/2026

Addi Road Writers' Festival 2026 was one of our biggest festivals so far. With seven panels on that day that covered everything from anxiety to crime writing and Latin American literature; two additional and very unique storytelling performances respectively involving theatre and cartooning; five live-music and spoken-word performances; and seven poetry book launches.

All of that taking place across three venues with over 40 guests directly taking part on the three stages – and off the stage as well.

The theme for ARWF2026 was 'truth beauty'. We did our best to seek out the honest and true in every way, as well as offer something positive, and even special .... whether it was Judith Nangala Crispin taking us all on a night drive through the desert in her poem about urgently trying to get her dog Moon to a vet in a faraway town after a snakebite .... Luke Carman brilliantly and wittily hosting a panel on men's voice in literature today, drawing out the raw and profound from fellow writers Jet Williams and Dr George Haddad ... or the Read to Me crew bringing their cartoon narratives to life with live projections and storytelling. The day rolled on in this way, funny, profound, friendly, real.

There is simply far too much to sum up here. Fortunately ABC Radio National's Big Ideas team were at Addi Road Writers' Festival 2026 to record two of the panels: 'Attacking Anxiety | Writing Past Masks of Normality' and 'Mind Net | Imagining the Future'.

Fully Lit were also there recording every other session on the day. Brought to you by the Sydney Review of Books, Impact Studios, and the UTS Writing and Publishing program, Fully Lit should have the various sessions that they recorded online soon. ABC RN's Big Ideas should follow in next few months. Needless to say, we will keep you posted!

ARWF2026 marks our sixth year creating, curating and running own independent strete-level writers festival. It was doubly special to have such a major event during what is Addi Road's 50th birthday year as a community centre. A symbol of creativity and community engagement that Addi Road offers on many levels.

The festival was also one our most successful in terms of sales, with just over 220 paying attendees and a plethora of other supporters, staff and volunteers involved taking numbers on the day to over 300. A big thanks to Berkelouw Books and 2SER-FM for supporting us, as well Cockatoo Comics and all our food vendors.

We are especially indebted to the 'vols', of course, who do it all for nothing and help what is a pretty big and wild day flow in fine and friendly style. Without the volunteers we just would not be able to make it happen.

It may seem a little tangental, but behind-the-scenes at Addi Road we sometimes talk about an old folk song called 'Bread and Roses' that soundtracked the suffragette and labour movements of early twentieth century. It's an historical reference point that captures some of our values at Addi Road today, attending to basic needs while also trying to answer something more elusive and deeply human .... providing bread literally among our many food relief activities; and offering 'roses', somewhat more metaphorically, via our creative activities that scan across everything from the Public School Arts Festival to youth music festivals like Addi Sounds and, of course, Addi Road Writers' Festival 2026.

We hope you had a great day with us. And that Addi Road Writers' Festival 2026 gave you something special.

~

A very special thanks to Sharon McKenzie for taking these snaps on the day. We were so hectic no one thought to get pictures. So you are a gem Sharon for taking the time to document a few months along the way while you were working yourself!

Both our Food Pantry locations will be closed on Monday 8th June due to the public holiday!We will re-open on Tuesday 9t...
01/06/2026

Both our Food Pantry locations will be closed on Monday 8th June due to the public holiday!

We will re-open on Tuesday 9th June 🛒 See you then!

And we’re planted! 🌿🌱The last of the 250 plants donated by Macquarie Centre and aided by the plant lovers at OUTHOUSE de...
29/05/2026

And we’re planted! 🌿🌱

The last of the 250 plants donated by Macquarie Centre and aided by the plant lovers at OUTHOUSE design and Alpine Nurseries have found their homes. These beauties have made a big dent in our greening up of the grounds at Addi Road.

Big thanks to a colossal effort by our garden volunteers, the Grasshoppers, who made sure these lovelies survived the summer and found their ways to suitable positions.

Next time you visit, wander around our site and enjoy the new greenery!

Join us this Friday for our monthly Let’s Get Cooking community meal and cooking demo at Common Ground 🍲This week on the...
28/05/2026

Join us this Friday for our monthly Let’s Get Cooking community meal and cooking demo at Common Ground 🍲

This week on the menu:
🥢 Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls
🍄 Mushroom Bowls
🍅 Spiced Tomato Salad
🍌 Vietnamese Banana Bread Cake

Our volunteers will be sharing simple, delicious recipes and serving up a free healthy meal and dessert for the community. Free Cook Up Kits available during the demo while supplies last!

📍 Common Ground, 31 Pyrmont Bridge Rd Camperdown
🕦 Cooking Demo: 11:30am
🍽 Community Meal: 12–2pm
📅 Friday 29 May

Everyone welcome. Disability access available.
Come for the food, stay for the community 💛

Rain, hail, or shine - we go ahead! But in an attempt to stay warm and dry this week, Wednesday Night Lights will be mov...
26/05/2026

Rain, hail, or shine - we go ahead! But in an attempt to stay warm and dry this week, Wednesday Night Lights will be moving to the Gumbramorra Hall 🌧️

Expect business as usual in a new setting. All services will still be joining us undercover, with the Food Pantry still open just a short walk across the carpark.

Dabke and yoga classes will still be on in our Stirrup Gallery.

Stay dry, friends! And see you tomorrow Wednesday 27 May from 6-8pm ☔️💜

Our volunteers receive some well deserved recognition during National Volunteer Week 🏆Helen Rogers, Mark Campbell, and H...
25/05/2026

Our volunteers receive some well deserved recognition during National Volunteer Week 🏆

Helen Rogers, Mark Campbell, and Heath Clark were recognised at the Inner West Council Amy Large Volunteer Awards on Wednesday night - a well-deserved honour for three exceptional people!

Helen, Mark and Heath each bring a wealth of skills, experience and commitment to Addi Road.

Helen has been a lynchpin across many of our programs, beginning with leading the packing of food boxes during our COVID Emergency Relief Hub. She continues to play a vital role, contributing to our corporate volunteering program, Camperdown Cook Up and Marrickville Food Pantry.

Mark is a highly valued member of the Addi Road kitchen crew, taking on every task with enthusiasm and generosity. He balances his studies while helping prepare meals for the community each week, and his can-do attitude makes a lasting impact.

Heath was recognised on the night for his dedicated volunteer work with Petersham Rugby, but we’re equally grateful for his contribution to Addi Road. Heath leads one of our Marrickville Food Pantry teams with efficiency, care and great humour.

Addi Road could not run without the efforts of all our volunteers, and we’re incredibly thankful for everything they do 🩷🧡💛

Chip in and Addi Road this EOFY 🧡Nearly one-in-five Australian households are skipping meals - some adults are going who...
21/05/2026

Chip in and Addi Road this EOFY 🧡

Nearly one-in-five Australian households are skipping meals - some adults are going whole days without anything to eat. Your donations help provide emergency food relief to those in need via our Camperdown and Marrickville pantries. Every donation counts!

Donations of $2 or over to Addi Road Foundation Limited are tax deductible in Australia.

Donate via the link below ✨

https://support-addi-road-this-eofy.raiselysite.com/

For three years now we have had Gavin Blake coming along to Addi Road Writers' Festival to 'scribe' the event. Last week...
21/05/2026

For three years now we have had Gavin Blake coming along to Addi Road Writers' Festival to 'scribe' the event. Last weekend at ARWF2026, Gavin was there as usual, at a small table with his digital pen, a drawing tablet and a computer.

Not too far away from him was another table holding a projector. At the end of each session inside Gumbramorra Hall, Gavin would switch on his projector and shine his work across the white brick wall.

In steady time lapse form, we could see how his notes and drawings unfolded – until we had a complete visual story from him summing up each conversation that had just happened on stage.

It's always a pleasure to watch Gavin work. Total concentration as he listens. The way he will even use binoculars to try and get a good close look at the faces and expressions of the various panellists. Gavin does this all day, thinking, toting, capturing, during. It's quite a feat. And though he starts at around 11am and finishes at 6pm, he maintains not only the art of documenting each session, but a verve and enthusiasm for telling a story visually every time. With accuracy, humour and a beautiful seriousness as appropriate and required.

We hope you enjoy his artful summary of a few panels here from Addi Road Writers' Festival 2026. There's more to come on the event in photos and words. But we figure Gavin's graphic narratives deserve a place all their own!

GAVIN BLAKE - Scribe

Address

142 Addison Road
Marrickville, NSW
2204

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61295697633

Website

https://www.instagram.com/addiroad/?hl=en

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