At Cabrini High School, forming young women into the faith-filled leaders God intends them to be is at the heart of everything we do. But behind the scenes, it takes more than just dedicated faculty and staff—it takes the commitment of our incredible Cabrini dads.
year, the Cabrini Dads’ Club works tirelessly to raise funds that directly support student education. Their biggest and most beloved fundraiser? Parking for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Just blocks from Cabrini’s Bayou St. John campus, Jazz Fest draws world-class musicians, artists, and food lovers from all over for eight days at the end of April and the beginning of May. And for many of them, parking at Cabrini has become part of the tradition. Expertly managed by the Dads’ Club, Cabrini offers safe, secure parking and something more: a tailgating experience that’s as memorable as the festival itself.
For more than 40 years, Cabrini dads have transformed the Dads’ Club garage into a hub of hospitality—grilling burgers, playing music, and welcoming festivalgoers with signature warmth. It’s a one-of-a-kind atmosphere where many return year after year, their Jazz Fest experience incomplete without a twilight burger and a wave from a dad in a Hawaiian shirt.
Their generosity and spirit haven’t gone unnoticed. So beloved is the Dads’ Club that local news crews make it a point to stop by each year—not just to cover Jazz Fest, but to spend time with the dads themselves. They’ve become part of the festival’s story—not because they’re out to make a buck, but because their fundraising transforms lives.
That transformation is felt every day on campus. As one of Cabrini’s largest benefactors, the Dads’ Club has played a major role in supporting curriculum enhancements, capital improvements, and state-of-the-art technology—projects that keep Cabrini competitive in one of the most rigorous Catholic school systems in the country.
While we love celebrating the success of our students, it’s just as important to honor those who make that success possible. Cabrini is a family, and these faithful stewards in baseball caps are a vital part of it. Their work isn’t just service—it’s a legacy of love.
Cabrini Immigrant Services – Dobbs Ferry (CIS-DF), NY, was so excited to share the talent of Nathalie Carolina Ortiz Cabrera, a professional ballerina, with the residents of St. Cabrini Nursing Home. Nathalie, a friend of Shirley Godoi, the Administrative Assistant at CIS-DF and her family, is visiting from Paraguay. She performed various ballets and some traditional Paraguayan folk dances. One amazing dance was the traditional ‘bottle dance.’ Nathalie danced with 2 bottles on top of her head. Everyone watched in amazement. She changed into different costumes; each one was more beautiful than the next. One costume was a white dress with a beautiful black shawl. This was the traditional Paraguayan dress.