On Christmas Day, Hope’s Kitchen in Cortez will host their 33rd annual Christmas holiday meal at the Montezuma County Annex free of charge, and all are welcome.
Those who are homebound can still participate in the meal, and have a Christmas meal delivered to their doorstep. Those who wish to have a “delicious” meal delivered to their door can call Susan Dobkins at (970) 739-5033.
“For the past 32 years, our community has been able to offer a Cortez Community Christmas Dinner for anyone who would like a home-cooked meal on Christmas Day. Each year around 450 people are blessed by a meal, a gift of warm clothing, a candy cane and a smile. No one is left out or forgotten and left hungry,” organizers said.
The meal will take place at the Annex on Chestnut Street and Montezuma Avenue in person from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will include baked ham, yams, green beans, roasted potatoes, green salad and cranberry sauce.
According to the news release, The Farm Bistro will provide the rolls, and community partners will provide pies for dessert. The group added that they rely on donations to be able to provide this free meal to the community.
“We rely on community donations and support to cover these costs,” organizers said. “All donations are gratefully welcomed and go directly toward providing the meal.”
The cost to provide one person a Christmas meal is $10. Food item donations are also appreciated, as the group noted that they are looking for 70 pie donations this year.
COVID-19 nearly canceled the event in 202, but Hope’s Kitchen was able to continue with the Christmas meal tradition from the United Methodist Church in Cortez, and in 2021, a takeout-only style dinner was served to more than 250 people from the county annex from Hope’s Kitchen and the Sharehouse.
In 2022, the meal served 400 people at the takeout dinner.
United Methodist Church Pastor Jean Schwien said this is her second year leading the meal, and she told The Journal this will be her first time hosting the meal as an indoor, sit-down dinner, as it has been done as pickup since COVID-19.
“People want to be together again,” she said.
Since this is the first year the meal is a sit-down meal put on by Hope’s Kitchen since 2020, organizers expressed their excitement to serve the community in a family-style setup.
“Everybody comes with such a good spirit and is cheerful and if we have a problem to solve, we just solve it and go on. It pulls together people that are very kindhearted and upbeat. And they want to really see the best for our community and that makes it fun to work with them,” Schwien said.
Originally, Schwien said that they were planning for around 450 people, but the Thanksgiving meal at St. Barnabas Grace’s Kitchen served around 580 people. Now, they hope to find more volunteers so they are able to provide enough food for everyone who may show up.
Schwien noted that the meal is a way to show people in the community that they are cared for.
“I think it's a tremendous thing for our community,” she said. “I don't think there's many places in the world that do this kind of thing. You know, Cortez is pretty special in wanting to take care of each other and Christmas is just a celebration of taking care of each other.”
For questions about this year’s Community Christmas Dinner or to volunteer, contact Dobkins at (970) 739-5033. Donations of cash or check may be dropped off at Onward Foundation at 33 N. Chestnut St. or by visiting the donation page at onwardfoundation.org. If donating via check, the memo should include “Cortez Community Christmas 2023.”
