The Bandera Family and Community Alliance returned to Chenango County this year to serve free Christmas dinners at the Norwich, Oxford, and Sidney American Legions. In total, 1,494 free meals were served. (Submitted photo)

CHENANGO COUNTY — The Bandera Family and Community Alliance returned to Chenango County for Christmas this year, and served up a total of 1,494 free meals.

The organization, with the help of dozens of volunteers, served free dine-in and take-out meals at the Norwich, Oxford, and Sidney Legions, and provided deliveries in the Chenango County area.

Bandera Family Representative Bill Bandera said they've been serving free meals in Norwich for the past five years, but this year marked the first they have set up shop in Oxford and Sidney.

"It’s exciting to go and tell the story to a city that doesn't have one or used to have one and they’re like, yeah, who couldn’t use a free meal?" he said. "We love to do it for people and the more we can reach, that’s exactly why we do it."

"Go big or go home' just crossed my mind. Like, hey, if we’re going to do this, let’s just reach as many people as we can, keep going to new cities."

He said they anticipated serving 1,500 meals between the three locations, and tentative final numbers include 905 deliveries, 239 take-out meals, and 350 meals eaten in for a grand total of 1,494 meals served.

Any leftovers were provided to a food pantry in Oxford as well as the Norwich, Oxford, and Sidney Legions for their own food pantries or free meals.

The annual free Christmas dinners are made possible by the generosity of donors as well as the dedicated volunteers who help prepare, cook, and serve the food.

For more information on the Bandera Family and Community Alliance, to donate, or to sign up as a volunteer, visit BanderaChristmas.com.