HOW IT WORKS
Getting Aid To Cuba
Support the Cuban People works every day to ensure that food, medicine, and essential supplies reach those in need across Havana and surrounding rural areas. But getting these materials to Cuba is far from simple. Here’s how it works - and how you can help us make it possible.
Reaching Those Most in Need
Our organization focuses on receiving and distributing humanitarian aid on the ground in Havana.
Every month, we get dozens - sometimes hundreds - of pounds of food, medicine, and materials delivered to us by individuals or through cargo shipments. Our priority is ensuring that what reaches Cuba gets into the right hands - safely, equitably, and quickly.
We prioritize distributions in two ways:
Supporting our primary, on-the-ground partner Pan de Vida
Helping donors navigate the challenges of transporting food and medicine. We guide them on how to get supplies to Cuba so we can distribute them.
Pan de Vida: How Aid Reaches People
We believe aid should be direct, dignified, and grounded in real impact. We partner with trusted, community-based initiatives already working on the ground in Cuba. One of our primary partners is Pan de Vida, a grassroots effort feeding and supporting some of the island’s most vulnerable communities. Through this partnership, aid moves beyond logistics into daily impact - reaching elders, families, and individuals navigating profound economic hardship. Learn More or Donate Now.
The Reality of Transporting Aid
Due to strict airline policies and Cuban customs regulations, we cannot transport large quantities of supplies in our personal luggage. We’re limited to two 50-lb bags per traveler, and those are typically filled with personal items and priority materials for our community and families.
We can sometimes take 1–2 pounds of medicine if we have space - but we’re unable to manage or guarantee personal transport of large donations. We prioritize high-quality and non-expired antibiotics, thyroid medications, and difficult-to-find specialty meds like those that treat Parkinson’s disease. If you want to donate these, please be in touch and we will do what we can to personally transport those medicines.
What You Can Do If You’ve Collected Supplies
We deeply appreciate the time and care it takes to gather medicine and supplies. Here are your best options if you’ve already collected items and want to get them to Cuba:
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If you know someone going to Cuba:
Ask if they’re willing to bring a small box or bag of medicine.
We can receive the items in Havana and handle local distribution.
This is often the fastest and most direct way to get supplies into the country.
This “courier chain” model is how most of our aid reaches us. Our team is built for distribution, not transport—and we’re grateful for travelers who make this possible.
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If you’d like to send medicine directly, you can use a third-party shipping service like Panavana:
Ship your box to their Miami warehouse.
They handle the cargo and customs process.
We receive it in Havana and ensure it’s distributed to those in need.
Estimated cost: ~$282 to send 100 pounds of aid($2.49 per pound + 13%+ tax and fees)
This is the most reliable method when you want to ensure large donations arrive.
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In limited cases, we can pick up donations, or accept them by mail, and hold them until:
We accumulate at least 100 lbs to ship in bulk, and
We’ve raised enough funds to cover shipping costs.
Please note: We cannot guarantee a delivery timeline. If you choose this route, patience is essential.
The Most Impactful Way to Help
The best way to support our mission is to donate funds. We use these resources to:
Donate to support the work of Pan de Vida
Pay for shipping costs
Purchase food and medicine locally and abroad
Sustain our operations and reach more communities
Even small donations go a long way when pooled together.
