The current work of the Cuban Association of the Order of Malta in Cuba began in 1999, a year after the visit of Pope St. John Paul II to Cuba. In 1999, members of the Cuban Association travelled to Cuba and were introduced to a priest who wanted to establish a dining room for the elderly in Los Pinos, a neighborhood in Havana.  From that first Comedor, the program has grown with the help of the bishops and clergy in Cuba, to 60~ service points, approximately 3,000 vulnerable elderly people are served.

The basic point of service is the Comedor or dining hall. A Comedor operates within a parish or other Church institution, and is generally open between two to five times a week, serves a light breakfast and lunch and provides a place where the elderly can gather and socialize.  Comedores normally serve between 30 to 50 individuals, and sometimes provide at-home food delivery for the home-bound.

One of the principal challenges facing Cuba is developing a sustainable food supply.  Cuba currently imports approximately 80 percent of the food it consumes.  In an effort to address this need, the Cuban Association is working with other parties including the Church, to develop a farm on the outskirts of Havana. The production of the farm, primarily produce in the beginning, will be made available to the various points of service in Havana. The desire is to replicate this model throughout the Island.

Partnering with organizations who have interest in our mission, such as Cross-Catholic Outreach, Food for the Poor, and the LDS, the Cuban Association has arranged for in-kind donations, primarily of food, to be distributed with the assistance of the Catholic Church in Cuba.