CHENANGO COUNTY — The Bandera Family and Community Alliance will return to the area to serve free meals on Christmas Day in Norwich, Sidney, and Oxford.

Sit down dinners will be from 12 to 2 p.m., in the American Legion buildings in Norwich, Sidney, and Oxford and people can also come inside to place orders for take out.

“The meal will consist of ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, corn, stuffing, applesauce, cookies, and assorted desserts,” said Bandera Family Representative Bill Bandera. “Hot and cold drinks will be available, too, including lemonade and coffee.”

Delivery orders are still being taken by calling 211 to the United Way. Calls can be made from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until December 23.

“They can order as many meals as they need,” said Bandera.“Delivery will be right to their residence.”

“We are also offering take out and delivery in Walton this year from their fire station,” he added. “We’re estimating about 450 meals there and next year, we’re restructuring the event so we can offer a sit down dinner.”

He said this year marks the eighth year the Bandera Family and Community Alliance has served Christmas dinner in Norwich, and their third year in Sidney and Oxford. They served about 2,000 meals last year.

“It’s a special time, a special event because it’s on Christmas,” said Bandera. “The need is there all year long.”

“We don’t do this just to serve those in need or the homeless, it’s more of an outreach and everyone is invited, no one is excluded.”

“On our website, our motto is ‘We believe that love never fails’,” Bandera continued. “This is how we show it, through food and serving the people in our community.”

He said the annual free Christmas meals are made possible by local foundations and businesses and without their help, the meals could not be provided.

“They’re very generous,” Bandera added. “Because we’ve been doing this for many years, people are more aware of us and we’re also receiving individual donations,” he said.

“We have about 225 volunteers total and about 100 active volunteers on Christmas day, helping to deliver, in line, and cooking,” said Bandera.

He said this will be the third year for Oxford students to volunteer. Fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students have time slots scheduled through Tuesday this week and the Boy Scouts from Sidney will be involved again this year, helping to serve meals on Christmas Day.

Bandera said they are always looking for volunteers and anyone can sign up at www.banderaChristmas.com. After signing up, Bandera said they will email available time slots and tasks to choose from.

He thanked the community and said it’s an honor to serve and reach out to people at this time of year.

“Thank you Chenango County, for helping us serve you, it’s teamwork,” said Bandera. “It’s a pleasure and an honor to impact the community in this manner, serving good food and reaching out to people we won’t be able to reach throughout the rest of the year.”

“We love everybody and we want people to know that,” he added.

Bandera said his parents started this dinner in 1989. They got together with the Legion in Bainbridge and thought, ‘what can they do to give back to the community?’

“The answer with Legion Post 80, was to provide Christmas dinner on Christmas day,” Bandera continued. “Well, they said, we do food good, so let’s do food and that’s what they did, serving 69 meals that year.”

For more information on the Bandera Family and Community Alliance, visit www.banderaChristmas.com or the Bandera Family and Community Alliance Facebook page.