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Santiago de Cuba International Airport received its third humanitarian aid flight on Wednesday, featuring a delegation from the Archdiocese of Miami, which included Father Joaquín Espino, rector of the Ermita de la Caridad, and Sister Eva Puelles, a member of the Daughters of Charity.
According to Cáritas Cuba, the flight carried 648 food kits and 510 hygiene kits donated by the American people for free distribution to individuals affected by Hurricane Melissa. These are intended for families impacted in the San José Community, in Santiago de Cuba.
The donation will be delivered gradually by the parish team and volunteers from Cáritas Cuba, once again accompanied by Catholic Relief Services, to individuals who have been previously identified based on selection criteria according to their vulnerabilities.
The program prioritizes single mothers with young children, seniors, people with disabilities, and individuals with limited or no mobility.
Cáritas explained that this protocol, implemented with strict adherence to humanitarian principles and Cáritas' International Safeguarding Policy, "is the bridge that transforms generosity into concrete hope and ensures that the Christian values of brotherhood and love for one another prevail."
The first material assistance intended for those affected by Hurricane Melissa
According to Cáritas Cuba and the United States Department of State, that first shipment included 528 food kits and 660 hygiene kits, among them supplies for water treatment.
The initial delivery focused on the communities of Cacocum and nearby areas severely affected by the hurricane, and was distributed free of charge and directly by parish teams from Cáritas, with support from humanitarian organizations affiliated with the Catholic Church.
A second flight with assistance from the United States arrived on January 16 at the Antonio Maceo International Airport in Santiago de Cuba, carrying supplies intended for thousands of families affected in the eastern region.
Cáritas Cuba then reported that this shipment—also donated by the American people—contained 528 kits of non-perishable food and 660 hygiene kits, distributed among communities in the dioceses of Bayamo-Manzanillo, Holguín-Las Tunas, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo-Baracoa, which were the most affected by the storm.
In November, the Government of the United States announced the allocation of 3 million dollars in humanitarian assistance for the Cubans affected by Hurricane Melissa, which devastated several provinces in the eastern part of the island.
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