Volunteers from Cáritas Matanzas this week visited the town of San Antonio de Cabezas to distribute food and hygiene product packages to families in situations of extreme vulnerability, as part of the third humanitarian aid shipment funded by the United States government that arrived in the province on November 10.
That third flight brought 700 modules to Juan Gualberto Gómez International Airport in Varadero, completing assistance to 2,100 families from the Vicaría Nuestra Señora de la Caridad. From that shipment, 311 modules went to San Antonio de Cabezas, while 200 were sent to Bolondrón, 139 to Alacranes, and 50 to Unión de Reyes.
The distribution took place from the parish of San Antonio de Padua, which also houses cafeterias, school tutoring, and programs for people with disabilities. The temple is currently undergoing restoration, so activities are being held in the parish house.
Among the beneficiaries documented by Cáritas are Pedro Martell Gil, 79 years old, who received his kit on the same day as his birthday; Ana Delia Rivero Martín, nearly seventy, who is caring for her 17-year-old grandson alone after the parents emigrated; and the elderly couple Juan Hernández and Haydeé Valera, who are nearly ninety years old and support their granddaughter Nuraisy, who is facing mental health issues.
"Having the module in my hands has been such a huge emotion that there are no words to describe what I feel," Ana Delia declared, tears streaming down her face, after clarifying that if there had been anyone in greater need, she would have given up her spot.
Juan Hernández, upon receiving the food and hygiene items, could only say: "This is a gift from heaven."
Young volunteers like Samuel Jesús Hernández, 22, and Randy de Jesús Martín de la Fe, 18, participated in the unloading, transportation, and delivery of the boxes, which have labels featuring the American flag and the Caritas logo. "There are people who look at you and start to cry, and then we realize how important it is to pay attention to the pain of others," Randy reflected.
Juliet Arencibia Perera, in charge of the Learning to Grow program at Cabezas, emphasized that among the beneficiaries were children with cerebral palsy and siblings Noelito and Norlan, both with fragile X syndrome, who live alone with their mother. "We try to be as fair as possible, to shine a light on the most critical cases with this work of love," she noted.
The aid is part of a 100 million dollar program announced by Washington in May 2026, of which 60 million is channeled through Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Caritas Cuba network.
The mechanism was designed to ensure that supplies reach families directly, bypassing the Cuban regime and the military conglomerate GAESA.
For the Diocese of Matanzas, the program aims to reach a total of 18,200 households. A fourth shipment is scheduled for the end of November, intended for the Vicarage of San Carlos Borromeo, starting with the parishes of La Caridad and El Carmen.
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