Bandera Family Alliance serving free Christmas meals in Chenango County
Bandera Family and Community Alliance volunteers will be serving free Christmas dinners from noon to 2 p.m. on Christmas Day at the American Legions in Norwich, Sidney, and Oxford. (Submitted photo)
CHENANGO COUNTY — The Bandera Family and Community Alliance will be returning to Chenango County to serve free meals on Christmas Day in Norwich, Sidney, and Oxford.
Individuals are welcome to stop by the American Legions in Norwich, Sidney, and Oxford between noon and 2 p.m. for a free eat-in or take-out meal of ham, turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, yams, corn, apple sauce, cranberry sauce, cookies, and assorted desserts. Hot and cold drinks will also be available.
Deliveries are also available by calling 211 between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays now through December 23.
This year marks the seventh year the Bandera Family and Community Alliance has served Christmas dinner in Norwich, and their second year in Sidney and Oxford. Bandera Family Representative Bill Bandera said last year they were able to serve approximately 1,300 meals in Norwich, 220 in Oxford, and 300 in Sidney.
"You don’t want to have 1,000 people who need a meal, but if the need is out there, that’s why we exist," said Bandera. "It’s not that the need is growing, I don’t think. It’s the awareness that we’re trying to help alleviate that need, and it gets out, and then people start taking advantage of it as we’d like them to."
"There’s always a need, so we just want to make sure that people know that we’re there to help the need, one day out of the year," he added. "It's the heart of what we do."
The annual free Christmas meals are made possible in part by local foundations and businesses who support their efforts through monetary and food donations. Bandera said this year they received a donation from Walmart, and a donation of most of their turkeys from Weiss Supermarkets. In the past, they've also received support from the RC Smith Foundation, the Higley Foundation, and the Mead Foundation.
"I’m extremely grateful that we have a little bit of a base in every area that we can count on, and then obviously we try to build on that every year and keep it going," Bandera said. "People are asking for help 24/7 and all year long, and we’re very fortunate to have people helping us out."
The dinners would also not be possible without the numerous volunteers who assist with preparing and serving the food each year.
Individuals who would like to volunteer can sign up for any of the three locations at BanderaChristmas.com. After signing up, Bandera said they will be emailed a schedule of available time slots and tasks to choose from.
This will also be the second year the Bandera Family and Community Alliance is partnering with the Oxford Academy Middle School. Students in 5th through 8th grade will be helping to prepare food and to-go bags, as well as decorating to-go bags with drawings.
"It’s an awesome opportunity to reach to the younger generation and some kids, and they’re hands on, they’re actually prepping the food and doing the to-go stuff," Bandera said. "They draw their name, they do art on the to-go bags. It’s quite a project, but it's the best way I know how to involve more people in the community."
Bandera said the Sidney Boy Scouts also get involved each year by helping to serve food on Christmas Day.
"I could have a million ideas and a thousand dreams and want to do all these things, but even what we do currently, as we try to expand and incorporate more people hands on, it’s only because people respond. It’s only because we get volunteers," Bandera said.
He encourages Chenango County residents to get involved through volunteering, or stop by on Christmas for a free community meal.
"We just want to serve the community, and everybody is welcome to volunteer or to be served," he said. "That’s what we do, and we love doing it for you guys.
For more information on the Bandera Family and Community Alliance, visit BanderaChristmas.com or the Bandera Family and Community Alliance Facebook page.
Individuals are welcome to stop by the American Legions in Norwich, Sidney, and Oxford between noon and 2 p.m. for a free eat-in or take-out meal of ham, turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, yams, corn, apple sauce, cranberry sauce, cookies, and assorted desserts. Hot and cold drinks will also be available.
Deliveries are also available by calling 211 between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays now through December 23.
This year marks the seventh year the Bandera Family and Community Alliance has served Christmas dinner in Norwich, and their second year in Sidney and Oxford. Bandera Family Representative Bill Bandera said last year they were able to serve approximately 1,300 meals in Norwich, 220 in Oxford, and 300 in Sidney.
"You don’t want to have 1,000 people who need a meal, but if the need is out there, that’s why we exist," said Bandera. "It’s not that the need is growing, I don’t think. It’s the awareness that we’re trying to help alleviate that need, and it gets out, and then people start taking advantage of it as we’d like them to."
"There’s always a need, so we just want to make sure that people know that we’re there to help the need, one day out of the year," he added. "It's the heart of what we do."
The annual free Christmas meals are made possible in part by local foundations and businesses who support their efforts through monetary and food donations. Bandera said this year they received a donation from Walmart, and a donation of most of their turkeys from Weiss Supermarkets. In the past, they've also received support from the RC Smith Foundation, the Higley Foundation, and the Mead Foundation.
"I’m extremely grateful that we have a little bit of a base in every area that we can count on, and then obviously we try to build on that every year and keep it going," Bandera said. "People are asking for help 24/7 and all year long, and we’re very fortunate to have people helping us out."
The dinners would also not be possible without the numerous volunteers who assist with preparing and serving the food each year.
Individuals who would like to volunteer can sign up for any of the three locations at BanderaChristmas.com. After signing up, Bandera said they will be emailed a schedule of available time slots and tasks to choose from.
This will also be the second year the Bandera Family and Community Alliance is partnering with the Oxford Academy Middle School. Students in 5th through 8th grade will be helping to prepare food and to-go bags, as well as decorating to-go bags with drawings.
"It’s an awesome opportunity to reach to the younger generation and some kids, and they’re hands on, they’re actually prepping the food and doing the to-go stuff," Bandera said. "They draw their name, they do art on the to-go bags. It’s quite a project, but it's the best way I know how to involve more people in the community."
Bandera said the Sidney Boy Scouts also get involved each year by helping to serve food on Christmas Day.
"I could have a million ideas and a thousand dreams and want to do all these things, but even what we do currently, as we try to expand and incorporate more people hands on, it’s only because people respond. It’s only because we get volunteers," Bandera said.
He encourages Chenango County residents to get involved through volunteering, or stop by on Christmas for a free community meal.
"We just want to serve the community, and everybody is welcome to volunteer or to be served," he said. "That’s what we do, and we love doing it for you guys.
For more information on the Bandera Family and Community Alliance, visit BanderaChristmas.com or the Bandera Family and Community Alliance Facebook page.
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