BEN Brown has been nominated for the 2023 Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award.
The Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award is named in honour of former Melbourne Football Club President and player Jim Stynes, who passed away in 2012.
The Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award is presented annually at the Brownlow Medal to an AFL or AFLW player who demonstrates a commitment to the community and helping others.
Brown was nominated for his contribution to children and families living with illness, holding an ambassador role for The Good Friday Appeal since 2022.
His successful ‘Chop the Mop’ fundraising campaign rallied the entire community to raise more than $90,000 for Challenge, an organisation that supports families fighting childhood cancer.
The campaign was incredibly special for Brown after the charity recently supported his aunt, uncle and cousin Grace during her long-term battle with Leukemia.
The funds raised had a huge impact on families, whether it was helping those who had to travel long distances for treatment or supply Coles vouchers to keep food on the table.
In addition to his fundraising efforts, the 30-year-old is also a passionate advocate for gender equality, diversity and inclusion and has volunteered his time to a number of causes.
This includes being an active ambassador for Stand Up Events, a not-for-profit association fighting gender and sexual discrimination in Australian sport.
He has also dedicated time with Lend a Hand to Hugo, a Tasmanian-based charity committed to improving the lives of children on the autism spectrum and with disabilities, and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.
Past winners of the Jim Styles Community Leadership Award include Joel Selwood (2022), Travis Boak (2021), and Bachar Houli (2020).
The winner will receive $20,000 from the AFL and $20,000 from the Jim Stynes Foundation to be donated to the charity or community program of his choice.
