Community Volunteers Keep Cortez Christmas Dinner Alive, Serving Neighbors

The Cortez Community Christmas Dinner will be held on Christmas Day from noon to two o’clock at the Montezuma County Annex, providing dine in, takeout and delivery options to residents of Cortez, Dolores and Mancos. Organizers expect to serve about 400 meals after months of volunteer coordination, and they say the effort is sustaining a tradition more than three decades old.

Organizers described the year as a transition, with many longtime volunteers unavailable and the event’s head chef of the past five years dying this summer, leaving a gap in institutional knowledge. One volunteer raised 7,000 dollars door to door to help fund the meal. Mary Jo Standard, one of the dinner organizers, said, “We don’t have an organization that’s manning this. It’s truly a community effort this year, which is really beautiful.” She added, “There was a call to action, essentially, to how can we make sure we still have this. It’s been really challenging for so many people, we have to have that.”

Randy Lewis of Lunch Lady Catering will serve as head chef, preparing ham, mashed potatoes, rolls, green beans and pie. Delivery may be scheduled for residents in Cortez, Dolores and Mancos by calling 703 638 0229 until 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Takeout will be available during the two hour service window. Organizers ask for fruit pie donations and for monetary contributions through the Onward! A Legacy Foundation portal.

First United Methodist Church took over organizing the meal in 2020 during the COVID 19 pandemic, initially offering takeout only service. Local groups including Hope’s Kitchen and Grace’s Kitchen have provided guidance and support during planning. The volunteer driven model highlights how faith based institutions and neighbors are acting as a safety net as local food insecurity grows.

Public health officials and community leaders say one day of meals cannot replace consistent access to nutritious food, transportation and healthcare for vulnerable residents. The dinner reduces immediate hunger and offers social connection for seniors and isolated households, but the recent reliance on volunteers and ad hoc fundraising underscores long term gaps in policy and funding for food security. For now, neighbors are stepping up to keep a holiday tradition alive while the community and local policymakers consider more sustainable solutions.