The actor Alejandro Cuervo and the urban artist Ja Rulay began this Tuesday in Holguín the distribution of donations sent from Miami for families affected by Hurricane Melissa, with an initial deployment at an evacuation center where, according to their accounts, they lost everything.
In videos of the operation, published on the La Familia Cubana channel, the organizers specify that they started with about 30 families and the plan is to continue in Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo in the coming days, “step by step,” while coordinating loads and routes within the island.
The images show Cuervo, Ja Rulay, and Teresa Padrón, former manager of El Taiger, unloading boxes and bags, and encouraging the volunteers to "use their influence for positive things."
“I love to help… I have been through the same and I know what it's like to go through it,” can be heard in one of the clips, where several collaborators confirm that “we are already active” and celebrate that “it seemed impossible, but we are making it possible.”
The sequence also features support from various activists and artists, who are credited with part of the logistics to reach the initial families.
According to the announcement circulated in Miami, the campaign “Help for Eastern Cuba” collects non-perishable food, medicines, hygiene items, diapers, bottled water, light clothing, and toys at the venue @va_cuba (2994 NW 7 ST, Miami, FL 33125), operating from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for three days.
The promoters—among them Zurdo MC and Awo Orumila Omo O, along with a team of volunteers—explained that the donations are sorted and packed for maritime shipment to Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, and Guantánamo.
“This is not a political gesture; it is an act of love and humanity”, they noted, highlighting that “many woke up at Costco buying products” for the affected families.
The call in the diaspora quickly garnered the participation of singers, actors, and influencers.
Among the first supporters mentioned by the organizers are Raymon, Lieter Ledesma, Briancito, Teresa Padrón, and Samantha, as well as dozens of anonymous emigrants who rallied to provide resources and transportation.
The stated goal is to quickly channel aid to the shelters and flooded neighborhoods, maintain successive deliveries, and expand the reach as new supplies arrive.
The humanitarian situation in the eastern part of the country remains critical following the impact of Melissa, a category 3 hurricane that left thousands affected, flooded communities, and destroyed homes in Santiago de Cuba, Baire, Palma Soriano, and Guantánamo, among other areas.
The response from Miami—gathering, packaging, and transportation—sought to supplement local efforts and accelerate the arrival of basic supplies to the hardest-hit areas, while teams in Cuba, led in this phase by Cuervo and Ja Rulay, are making progress with the initial deliveries and preparing new routes to Granma and Guantánamo.
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