Livern Barrett, Gleaner WriterAmid a scattering of vehicular and pedestrian traffic along Molynes Road in St Andrew early yesterday, a white Toyota minibus made a very slow trek towards Half-Way Tree.On board were members of the Downer family who were on their annual Boxing Day mission to provide a wholesome meal for hundreds of homeless and mentally ill persons on the streets of the Corporate Area.According to family patriarch Noel Downer, a total of 301 boxed lunches were prepared for distribution.This, he pointed out, was a huge increase over the 193 done last year and the 30 that were distributed when the family’s goodwill gesture began 25 years ago.The meals consisted of barbe-fried and baked chicken served with rice and peas, macaroni and tossed salads, and a slice of Christmas cake.”We never have enough,” said Joel Downer.Along the route from Molynes Road to downtown Kingston, several persons were overwhelmed by the generosity.Norma Stubbs, an elderly woman who collected two boxed lunches for herself and her stepfather, was moved to tears by the gesture.”It not good when you wake up and can’t find nutten fi eat. Lunchtime come an’ nutten, and when you a go a you bed, nutten,” she sobbed.Stubbs said she has been on the streets since she was beaten and chased from her home in a tough inner-city community in St Andrew.Grateful for mealIt was the first meal of the day for Clive Spencer and Margaret Spencer (no relation), who were among four persons sitting on a bench outside the National Heroes Park when the Downers showed up.”A God send them to help us,” said Clive, as he clutched the meal and headed back to the bench.”A feeling real good. It’s a blessing from God,” echoed Margaret.Downer said he was concerned that he was finding more homeless persons on the streets.”We find that, strange enough, our country not getting better because instead of finding less people on the streets, we are finding more,” he told The Gleaner.