Lilia's Cuban Cafe

05/08/2026

Buen día,

I am reaching out today with a follow-up request to support Yanarys and her family, by helping raise $600 to support her in acquiring a solar panel system, which will allow her to operate her cake and pastry business in a reliable and sustainable manner. This fundraiser has already raised $500 of the $1,100 goal! With the economic, political, and social situation in Cuba showing no signs of abating in the near future, solar panel and battery systems have proven to be a quick fix for many Cubans households and businesses, given the daily up to 20 hour energy blackouts.

Yanarys is Yannel’s older sister, and she lives in La Habana with her daughter, where she operates an at-home cake business. With very limited electricity, it is nearly impossible for her to sustain her business, since many of the ingredients and finished products rely on refrigeration.

On a personal note, I met Yanarys on my first trip to Cuba, where I stayed with her, Yannel, and their family in the hometown of my grandfather and the place where he met my grandmother and they were subsequently married before departing for the United States in the wake of the revolution. When Yanarys was just beginning her business, my mother-in-law prepared a care package full of cake making and decorating tools, as well as ingredients, which we delivered to her on two separate occasions! Yanarys is like a sister to us, and it has been amazing to see her business flourish as well as her daughter grow up over the years!!!

You can easily donate to this initiative via Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle.
Venmo: Anne-Prucha
PayPal:
Zelle: 407-446-7651
*Note for Money Transfer - “Friends and Family - Solar Panels”. Make sure to Avoid Using the word Cuba!!!”

Finally, it’s important to note that Anne Prucha was one of my Spanish professors while at UCF. Her colleague, Kacie Tartt was also one of my professors and is involved in this fundraiser!!!! Feel free to contact them directly for any questions: [email protected] & [email protected] (both cc’d in this email)

05/03/2026

This experience thus far has been a real honor!!! Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey and a huge thank your to Upper Crust Baking - Davis & Winters!

Upper Crust Baking at 634 G St. has been around for 40 years but owner Lorin Kalisky is still finding new ways to draw in a crowd, this time with

04/17/2026

Que viaje más lindo - What a beautiful journey!!! I am grateful to so many people for the experience I had last month as a tour guide for in Spain. Everything about the time we shared was unique and priceless. Above all, it was great supporting small local businesses along the way! The amazing group of adventurers also made this trip incredible, especially providing me with a connection to Maine and it’s humble and fun-loving people. I will cherish this memory for the rest of my life and look forward to the next adventure down the line!

04/12/2026

Les invito a participar en nuestra presentación con Yannel a través de Zoom, este lunes, 13 de Abril, 7-8 por la tarde - We invite you all to our Zoom presentation with Yannel this Monday, April 13th from 7-8 pm EST.

Yannel plans to share details about the solar panel system that was recently installed and the impact it continues to make in the community he serves!

Link: https://maine.zoom.us/j/85287468034pwd=l7sJstkgeKPCRFba0aaKaI0wr9JHZz.1&jst=2

04/07/2026

Weeks have passed since the solar panel system was installed and Yannel is excited to report that the system has made an immense positive impact on the community he serves!

With that in mind, Yannel and I invite you to join us for a live Zoom update on Monday, April 13th, 7-8pm. Attendees can expect to learn about the steps that were taken to turn this dream into a reality and the impact it has had on the community!

Emergency Fundraiser Project Update w/ Yannel
Monday, April 13th, 7-8pm EST
Zoom Link: https://maine.zoom.us/j/85287468034?pwd=l7sJstkgeKPCRFba0aaKaI0wr9JHZz.1&jst=2

Summary of the 45-60 minute Zoom session:
Introductions
Presentation (Past, Present, & Future)
Video Tour
Q&A with Yannel

You may also invite friends and family who you believe would be interested in learning more about this initiative and the current situation in Cuba.

03/07/2026

El trabajo sigue adelante - The work progresses ahead!!! With the energy crisis worsening in Cuba, which is providing between 2-3 hours on average a day to Vertientes, we are thrilled to share that Yannel and his community are making substantial progress with sourcing and installing the solar panels! Once complete, they will gain a huge source of renewable energy from the sun, which Cuba has plenty of, so they can produce their own electricity, which Cuba does not have a lot of at the moment. Please keep the Cuban people in your minds and hearts, as they navigate this dark moment in time!

02/25/2026

Mil gracias para tod@s por su ayuda - Thank you for all of your support!!! It’s unbelievable to know that Yannel and his community were able to successfully source, transfer, and install the materials needed to store and transfer energy on a powerful battery system that will allow them to store electricity when the electricity is running so that it can be utilized during the systemic blackouts. $1,800 of the $3,200 we raised, have been utilized to facilitate this first big step!!! The next step is to acquire 6 solar panels which will provide energy to the battery system and will serve an essential role in gaining more energy security, amidst the constantly changing and worsening situation in Cuba! I would also like to thank my mom for helping us make sure the funds were transferred in a timely and secure manner!!! It truly takes a village, especially when times get tough! We will continue to provide updates, but are already amazed by the results this initiative has produced!!! So much love!!!

02/13/2026

Hemos alcanzado nuestra meta - We reached our goal!!! Thank you to all the folks who contributed to this campaign, and to those who took a moment to send your love and positive energy to the people in Cuba! While this campaign will make a localized impact in Vertientes, we ask you to keep all Cuban people in you mind and hearts as they navigate this uncertain and challenging time. In the meantime, we will keep you all posted about progress with respect to this initiative as we are planning to begin installing the solar panel system as early as next week! Un fuerte abrazo!!!