Mary Mags Dinners History
Mary Mags Dinners is a diverse group of people committed to reducing loneliness and hunger on Saturday nights in our city
Mary Mags Dinners traces its roots back to an Anglican Youth Conference in 1989. From this conference our first volunteers emerged with a desire to do something pro-active about social justice in Adelaide. From the outset we strove to follow the example of Jesus by identifying with the poor, sick and outcast; strengthening their spirits and self esteem and confronting the long term cycle of loneliness that they can suffer.
It all started with sandwiches in Hurtle Square in 1989. Two years later, in 1991, the meal moved down the road to St Mary Magdalene Church.
Since the start, the mission has always stayed the same, to be a place of peace and community over a meal on Saturday nights.
Mary Mags Dinners is only made possible through the efforts of many volunteers from churches, schools, workplaces and other community groups who generously donate their time, money and labour to provide a meal for our guests on a Saturday night.
The Collective of St Mary Magdalene
Mary Mags Dinners is governed by the Collective of St Mary Magdalene (COSMM)
The Collective of St Mary Magdalene is
— Mary Mags Dinners
— St Mary Magdalene Anglican Church
— AnglicareSA
Our incorporated name is the Collective of St Mary Magdalene and the service we run is Mary Mags Dinners
The current chairperson of Mary Mags Dinners and The Collective of St Mary Magdalene is Jeremy Hayman
Please note
— Mary Mags Dinners was formally known as the ‘Saturday Night Drop-in Centre’
— Mary Mags Dinners is not The Magdalene Centre on Gilbert Street, Adelaide. However, we proudly share in the same movement of Anglican charities being formed throughout the 1980s
St Mary Magdalene Church
Mission Hall
In 1912, the Mission Hall was built by St Peter's Boys College. The Mission Hall provided general welfare and relief to people in need throughout the city. It also provided a free day school kindergarten with free meals for the poor children.
113 years since the Mission Hall was built, it still is serving those who are in need.