Robert Lalah, Staff Reporter
Mayor of Kingston Desmond McKenzie (right) delivers food to homeless persons at the St. William Grant Park in downtown Kingston yesterday. The mayor was conducting his annual feeding programme in the Corporate Area. - NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
SOME OF the most destitute persons from the nation's capital yesterday got something to smile about, as Kingston Mayor, Desmond McKenzie, delivered hot meals and drinks to homeless persons across New Kingston, Cross Roads and downtown.
Their faces lit up with joy as they received the meals from the mayor and his team, some saying they had not eaten in days. At the St. William Grant Park, Gloria, who said she lived on King Street, was overcome with gratitude. "It really help me out, because I cannot afford to cook anything," she said, between bites.
Mayor McKenzie said the programme was going extremely well. He told The Gleaner that when he started the programme during his first year in office, about 250 persons received hot meals.
EXCEEDING THE TARGET
"This year, we are doing approximately 750, and we'll be concentrating in the major centres of the municipality," he said. "We want to spread the feeling around so that the people can have something wholesome to eat."
Mr. McKenzie noted that the generosity of corporate Jamaica facilitated the expansion of the programme. He said the target for the programme this year was $2 million. "We have exceeded that fund by about $1.2 million," he reported.
The mayor said the programme was kicked off on December 10, and had so far reached about 10,000 persons. Among the places visited by the mayor and his team were the Bustamante Children's Hospital and Bellevue Hospital, to which the mayor also donated a washing machine and a microwave oven.
"This is easily the best year we have had since the programme started and come Christmas this year, we want the tradition to continue to include much more of our downtrodden brothers and sisters," said Mr. McKenzie.
