Ben - Page 6

What Is The Dining Room Mission?

The Dining Room Mission (TDRM) is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit organisation providing free, home-style meals every Tuesday evening to people in need across the Maroondah community — especially those facing homelessness, hardship, isolation, or food insecurity.

Operating out of a hall behind St John the Divine Anglican Church in Croydon, just across from the train station, the Mission creates more than just a hot meal. It offers guests a safe and welcoming space — a moment of calm, dignity, and human connection in what can often be a chaotic or lonely world.

Each week, people of all ages — from single parents to elderly residents, young people, and families — sit side by side for a shared meal served by a team of passionate volunteers. The Mission also provides donated produce and pantry items when available.

For many guests, this is the only proper meal or social interaction they’ll have all week.

Every Friday night in July, proceeds from our Meat Raffle go directly to supporting TDRM.

Your support helps them continue to:

• Cook and serve hearty meals to those doing it tough
• Provide donated groceries and essentials to guests
• Offer a sense of routine, connection, and community
• Keep the lights on for an essential services

Want to Make a Personal Donation?

Donations are tax-deductible and go straight to TDRM’s meal and outreach program:

Bank: Macquarie Bank
Account Name: The Dining Room Mission Inc
BSB: 182500
Acct #: 000941793630
Website: https://www.tdrmission.org.au/
Email: tdrmission@gmail.com
Phone (Jack): 0409 556 058
Tax receipts available on request

Thanks for the support!

June Results

We’re thrilled to share that, thanks to your incredible support, we raised $1,416 during June through our Friday night meat tray raffle!

Every dollar is going towards Ben Duffy’s 52 in 52 marathon challenge, supporting the Pat Cronin Foundation and the mission to end the coward punch.

Your generosity is making a real impact — thank you for getting behind Ben and this important cause.

Stay tuned for more ways to support, and we look forward to seeing you on Friday nights at The Grand!

Be Wise. Let’s end the coward punch.

Follow Ben’s journey: @_52in52
Donate directly: GoFundMe

Thanks for the support!

Together, we raised $1,265 in May to support local players struggling to cover their registration fees.

At The Grand, we’re proud to stand behind causes that matter to our local community. In May, we launched our own initiative to support players who were doing it tough and struggling to cover their registration fees.

Through our Friday Night Meat Tray raffles, we raised an incredible $1,265, all of which is going directly toward helping these players stay involved in the sport they love.

As a proudly community-focused pub, we believe in showing up when it counts — and we’re so grateful to everyone who contributed. Your generosity helps keep our local sporting spirit alive and well.

Thank you for being part of it.

Join us every Friday night at The Grand as we support Ben Duffy’s mission to raise funds for the Pat Cronin Foundation and help end the coward punch.

This June our Friday night meat tray raffle is raising funds for the Pat Cronin Foundation

This is through Ben Duffy a local man setting out to run 52 seperate marathons in the 52 weeks of 2025.

At the age of 19 Pat was tragically killed at the hands of a coward punch, when attempting to drag his mate out of a fight at his local pub. Pat wasn’t an aggressive person and was purely there to remove his mate, when he was struck senselessly from behind. Pat’s parents Matt and Robyn turned this tragedy into the incredible foundation that is the Pat Cronin Foundation.

Pat went to Whitefriars the same school as Ben and hearing his story pushed Ben to have a crack at something incredibly tough, to raise money for such a worthy cause. Ben has already run 22 through the first 22 weeks of the year, and will continue to battle through to hopefully reach the goal he has set. The support he has been given so far is nothing short of incredible lets continue this support as he tackles this challenge.

Pop down to The Grand every Friday where all proceeds from the Friday Meat Tray Raffle will be donated to Bens Go Fund Me where all proceeds will go directly to the Pat Cronin Foundation.

Be Wise, let’s end the coward punch!

To follow Ben’s progression, head to his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_52in52/?hl=en

To donate to Ben directly, please visit: https://gofund.me/be8cae80

Thanks for the support!