“It's been a blessing,” stated a Cuban woman who reported receiving humanitarian assistance for her husband, who has been ill and bedridden for nearly a decade. Her testimony was found among comments on a Cáritas Camagüey post regarding the distribution of American donations in Nuevitas, where volunteers traverse the city to deliver supplies to households in need.
The woman expressed her gratitude in the comments section of the Cáritas Camagüey post, saying, “It's been a blessing to recently receive help for my husband, who has been sick and bedridden for nearly 10 years. Thank God for Cáritas and everyone involved in this good work!”
In the same thread, others expressed their appreciation for the volunteers' efforts and rejoiced that the donations are reaching those in dire need. One commenter praised the dedication of those who “have worked hard” to deliver the goods, while others sent messages of thanks and well-wishes to all participants involved.
Door-to-Door Deliveries: Essential for Everyone
“Efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable continue in Nuevitas,” explained Cáritas Camagüey in a message accompanying photos of the deliveries. According to their account, volunteers spend their days transporting boxes using electric carts, small buses, or any available means to reach various parts of the city.
“Every home greets them with a smile and occasionally tears,” the organization described. Phrases like “Everything is needed” and “Everything is so expensive” are frequently heard from beneficiaries, highlighting the struggle to access basic goods.
The distribution process involves moving boxes across Nuevitas, organizing routes, and delivering donations directly to the homes of selected families.
The community contributes in various ways. Young people dedicate time to guard the donations overnight, while some women, unable to lift heavy loads, prepare coffee or provide water to those spending hours transporting the boxes. “Everyone helps in one way or another,” noted the organization.
The shared photos display essential goods, water storage containers, and elderly individuals in their homes alongside those assisting with distribution.
Part of 700 Modules Arrived in Camagüey
This update pertains to the distribution phase in Nuevitas of a shipment of U.S. aid received at Camagüey's Ignacio Agramonte airport on October 1. Cáritas Cuba reported that 700 modules arrived: 300 earmarked for families in Lugareño, Minas municipality, and another 400 assigned to Nuevitas.
CiberCuba previously detailed the distribution of 300 modules in Lugareño, carried out through direct home visits to vulnerable households. The latest post shows ongoing deliveries in Nuevitas but does not specify how many of the 400 planned modules for that area have been distributed so far.
The packages from this program include food items such as rice, beans, oil, sugar, pasta, and canned goods, as well as personal hygiene products. Past iterations of the initiative have included water storage buckets and rechargeable flashlights, useful during power outages.
The aid primarily targets elderly individuals living alone, disabled persons, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and households with young children in vulnerable situations, based on selection criteria published by Cáritas Cuba.
U.S. Aid Distributed Through Cáritas
These donations are part of a $100 million humanitarian program announced by the United States for Cuba. Of this total, $60 million is channeled through Cáritas Cuba and Catholic Relief Services (CRS), while the remainder is managed by other independent organizations.
The Catholic Church has clarified that Cáritas does not receive this amount as cash; instead, funds are allocated for purchasing supplies and covering the logistics required to transport and deliver them to families. The program operates without the Cuban government managing the donations.
In the pictures from Nuevitas, the aid containers display the American flag and the Cáritas emblem, with an inscription identifying the donation as coming from the people of the United States to the citizens of Cuba.
FAQs on U.S. Humanitarian Aid to Cuba
What types of supplies are included in the U.S. aid packages?
The aid packages include essential food items like rice, beans, oil, sugar, pasta, and canned goods, as well as personal hygiene products. Previous distributions have included water storage buckets and rechargeable flashlights.
Who is eligible to receive the U.S. aid in Cuba?
The aid prioritizes elderly individuals living alone, people with disabilities, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and households with young children in vulnerable situations, according to Cáritas Cuba's selection criteria.
How is the U.S. humanitarian aid distributed in Cuba?
The distribution is conducted by volunteers who transport supplies using various means, such as electric carts and small buses, directly to the homes of selected families. The program is designed to operate independently of the Cuban government.