About Us
Mission
At the most distilled, CFC’s mission is to bring approved medical supplies and much-needed items to the very young and very old of Cuba.
Families in Cuba face daily shortages of necessities: medicine, hygiene products, and everyday essentials that most of us take for granted. These are the items that allow a parent to care for a child; a doctor to treat a patient; and A community to experience stability. Our mission is to provide support by directly delivering essential supplies to communities in Cuba, helping people meet their basic human needs. Parallel to this mission, we strive to keep items off the black market and to get them to the people who need them rather than being sold. The absorption of medicines and donations is another way in which CFC distinguishes itself from other organizations; by being in the community rather than dropping things off at drop locations.
About Us
Co-founder, Carolina, moved to Cuba in 2018 to begin medical school. As a medical student, the shortage of basic items such as surgical gloves and syringes was startling. By 2023, she began requesting, coordinating, and receiving donations. Later that year, Carolina started the our first warehouse; receiving donations and distributing mediciens.
Co-founder, Dennis began going to Cuba in the 2000’s and began donating humanitarian items of all kinds. By 2023, he began targeting items that could do the most good and settled on medical items like antibiotics that were unavailable or being hoarded.
When Carolina and Dennis met in Cuba in 2024, they began discussing how they could combine their passion of aiding the Cuban people to increase the reach and effectiveness of their efforts. Dennis would focus on securing prescription medication, international donations, and the logistics of the 501(c)(3), while Carolina would focus on effective distribution, managing the warehouse and identifying the daily medical needs in Havana.
They received their EIN from the IRS in 2024.
What We Do
Although we accept all types of donations for items that the Cuban people need, our primary focus is procuring prescription pharmaceuticals and medical equipment in Latin America and transporting them to partners in Cuba. Corazon for Cuba has bi-monthly shipments to Habana, and our team determines the most pressing needs that the patient network in Cuba is experiencing by creating a “wish list” of items. Then, our procurement team goes to work sourcing these items. The list is scrutinized for value, availability and the ability to be safely transported to Cuba. Our team then delivers the medicine and supplies to Cuba for measured distribution. This is critical to maximize usage by those in need and prohibit re-selling or hoarding supplies.
Board Members
Carolina Leyva
Co-Founder & Distribution
Boots on the ground: Cuban/American who lives in Havana. Carolina works and studies medicine every day. Her unique position allows the organization to survey the needs in real time, to manage materials/resources and to supervise the proper absorption of donations.
Dennis Cudd
Co-Founder & President
Supply Side: The US side of the organizations. Dennis procures medicine, allocates donations and runs the financial side of the 501(c)(3).
James Wilson
Vice President
US based Fundraising and Transportation: James lives in San Antonio, but his 30 years of service in the insurance industry have shown him the value of connection and helping people.
Mark Vornberg
Secretary
US based Fundraising and Transportation: An Architect in Austin, TX, Mark has been a part of Corazon for Cuba, buying medicine and seeing that it gets where it can do the most good.
Petera Walker
As a recent University of Havana medical school graduate, Petera knows the medical system of Cuba firsthand. From Toronto, Canada, she is passionate about using her background to raise awareness and connect compassionate individuals who help the people of Cuba.
