Since our first dinner in 1991
➝ Our volunteer hosts and cooks have humbly put on 1,500 Saturday night dinners
➝ That’s 180,000 delicious home cooked meals for our dinner guests
➝ All enjoyed over countless conversations, as we share life together on Karuna Country
Our Story
Mary Mags Dinners is a diverse group of people committed to reducing loneliness and hunger on Saturday nights in our city.
Our roots track back to an Anglican Youth Conference in 1989 where our first volunteers emerged with a desire to follow the example of Jesus. They were inspired by Jesus eating with people from all walks of life, strengthening their spirits and confronting the loneliness that they can suffer — all while building friendships.
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 to a sit down dinner. Today, we’re still a sit down dinner, we intentionally keep things simple, having a meal together but in that simplicity is the beautiful power.
We encourage everyone to keep the vision, it’s like you’re having people over to your house to have a meal. We’re not being pseudo social workers. Of course, when it’s 100 people coming over ‘to our house’ comes the planning and processes (like having a website) but we try to never forget, we’re having a meal with friends, like Jesus modelled.
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 Dinner
Please note:
— Our incorporated name is the Collective of St Mary Magdalene and the service we run is Mary Mags Dinner
— 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
Mission Hall, 1912
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.
It’s been over 100 years since the Mission Hall was built but it’s still being used to serve others