Addi Road depends on its volunteers. Each one makes up the many, and the many come together to make us one.
 
Working in shifts, they naturally forge close friendships and unique teams that have their own personality and working style.
 
Without them we could not run our two Addi Road Food Pantry stores in Marrickville and off site in Camperdown, or our Addi Road Food Relief Hub, not to mention a host of other actions and events we are engaged with all year round…300+ volunteers a week across 30 shifts. Every shoulder to the wheel helping us be the powerhouse we’ve become.
 
You can see here in the photo some of our Friday morning crew – from left to right: Louise, Laurie, Terry and Tanja – taking a well-earned coffee-break before things get busy with a coming delivery to the Addi Road Food Pantry.
 
“You took our photo before,” Tanja says. “You have to do the Monday morning crew next! Your really have to get them. They’re the ones.”
 
The volunteer teams appreciate what each other does. Soon a donor delivery will arrive: meat will be unpacked into the fridges; shelves stacked with pasta, biscuits, cereal, and sauces; fruit and vegetables divvied up and bagged; various breads put on white wooden shelves.
 
Our customers sometimes arrive early. When the weather is good they sit outside on chairs. There’s often conversation. Between them and everyone working.
 
The Addi Road Food Pantry afternoon team will arrive to take over the running of things as the doors open at midday. One team overlaps with the other. Volunteers and customers talking, sharing jokes, information, and stories, weaving between one another – and into each other’s lives every day.