Story perspectives

Church Meals Sustain Havana’s Elderly as Crisis Deepens

4/27/2026

Summary

Story summary

Church-run meals have become a lifeline for Havana’s aging poor as Cuba’s crisis deepens.
Elderly, including 84-year-old Carmen Casado, attend regular meals at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Havana, supplementing state rations.
Casado’s pension is 2,000 Cuban pesos, about $4 at the informal rate.
By end-2024, 26 percent of Cubans were 60+, nearly double the regional 14.2 percent, leading the government to authorize entrepreneurs to run elder-care services.

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Story summary

Church-run meals have become a lifeline for Havana’s aging poor as Cuba’s crisis deepens.
Elderly, including 84-year-old Carmen Casado, attend regular meals at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Havana, supplementing state rations.
Casado’s pension is 2,000 Cuban pesos, about $4 at the informal rate.
By end-2024, 26 percent of Cubans were 60+, nearly double the regional 14.2 percent, leading the government to authorize entrepreneurs to run elder-care services.