Should I bring donations/gifts for the Cubans?

Cubans welcome and need donations. Please consider focusing your donation efforts towards schools, teaching aids, student supplies, and toys for kids! 

These could include memory sticks (USB flash drives), calculators, glue, pens, markers, games, pencils, erasers, flashlights and note pads.

Also highly appreciated are multiple vitamins (for children, pregnant women and adults), Band-Aids, Ibuprofen, thermometers, reading glasses, newborn diapers, baby bottles and baby clothing, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, good quality used clothing and shoes, scrub sponges, reusable cleaning gloves, hair scrunchies.

Baseball bats, balls, gloves, caps and T-shirts are very popular!

Musicians and music students rave about guitar strings and plastic guitar picks!

NOTE: Do not distribute donations on the street. Your tour guide can help you organize this. We suggest giving it at the different places we visit, and there are also synagogues and churches in the hotel area that will gladly accept it.

IMPORTANT. When entering Cuba do not declare any items you intend to leave behind as donations as it could result in lengthy delays and possible confiscation of materials.

If your luggage is searched and you are questioned as to why you're bringing 100 pencils (for example), say, "they are for friends" and leave it at that.

Luggage inspections rarely happen unless your bags exceed weight limits.