Wednesday Night Lights is underway again at Addi Road in Marrickville. Each week our community gathers to enjoy a free hot meal and host of wraparound services.
The event has grown astronomically over the last year to meet community needs as well as sheer popularity. People want to access the servicesthat they can’t normally afford, or get to, in their daily lives; people also simply like being here together.
It all started with our founding partnership with Street Side Medics, who have kept supporting the night regularly with free medical help from doctors and nurses working from inside their very well-equipped mobile van. Their motto, emblazoned across the side: “Helping those who are vulnerable and experiencing homelessness.”
Nearby, Marrickville Legal Centre have a foldout table operating, giving out free legal advice to those who feel they need it – and some who wonder what their rights and worries might even mean in a legal context. Most often they are dealing with issues around housing and rental leases, relationship breakup disputes, and work situations where people are uncertain of their rights.
Orange Sky Australia have only just joined the Wednesday Night Lights line up at Addi Road. They provide the world’s first free remote laundry service for anyone who needs their clothes and linen washed and dried. This is especially helpful to homeless people – and anyone in unstable living conditions who wants clean clothes and a chance to feel good about themselves, as well as function better socially and perhaps professionally.
Once a month, The Feel Good Project joins us in their silver van, cutting hair, making people “feel good” as their name suggests. Having your hair washed and cut… it’s so basic, and yet what a difference it can make to your self-image and confidence – and your ability to get work, among many other things.
Amid all this, the hot meals and desserts are served. People line up keenly and sit at long tables with white table clothes, enjoying the food and a chance to talk and be part of a community while they wait to take advantage of the Wednesday Night Light services. Little social grouping form – a card game of UNO, people just chatting, bits of advice and helpful tips being shared between those present who know the problems first-hand and maybe a few solutions.
It’s quite some gathering. Music is playing over a speaker, Fleetwood Mac drifting in the air with ‘Dreams’. And with that song and others, a surprisingly refreshed energy, something restoring and strengthening for all involved… raising up those helping and those being helped, everyone enjoying the food and the chance to be as one in the night.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT LIGHTS takes place every Wednesday from 6-8pm outside the Addi Road Community Organisation office and Addi Road Food Pantry Marrickville. As noted in the story we’re currently offering free medical help, legal advice, laundry and hair salon services as well as free hot meals. Not all the services are here every week, but we are working on it! Come on down for some fine food and good company. The aim is to help people that need a bit of assistance, whether they are homeless and battling or simply going through a rough patch. We don’t ask questions or need people to prove anything. Come join us.
You can donate to our food justice programs through our website here.
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