Cabrini Immigrant Services – Dobbs Ferry (CIS-DF) held a STARS (StoryTelling, Art, Reading and Socialization) Program for students in Grades 3-5 on November 11th. In addition to being Veterans Day, it was also National Young Readers Day. Dr. Wendy Mages, a trained storyteller, told the story, The Empty Pot, by Demi. A great discussion took place following the story. The students spoke about the importance of having good character. Words such as honesty, compassion, responsibility, etc. were suggested as the ways in which we should act towards one another.
After the discussion, the students created “A Tree of Integrity.” On the trunk, branches and leaves of the tree, the words that were used during the discussion were written on painted leaves. The tree, which hangs in our classroom, is a reminder to always be people with integrity.
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As November approaches, we begin to think about our deceased family, friends and loved ones in a special way. On October 29th, some of the clients from Cabrini Immigrant Services, (CIS) Dobbs Ferry, NY, shared their celebration of Día de los Muertos, (the Day of the Dead), with the residents at St. Cabrini Nursing Home.
Cabrini Immigrant Services, Dobbs Ferry (CIS-DF), held a STARS (StoryTelling, Art, Reading and Socialization) for Kids Program for students in Grades Kindergarten-. The STARS program has helped our students by increasing their attention span, improving their imagination and creative thinking as well as building confidence in their verbal and artistic expression.
On Thursday, October 2nd, the walls at Cabrini Immigrant Services – Dobbs Ferry, NY (CIS-DF) were bursting with excitement and pride. A special celebration was taking place for four of our students who attend our Sharing Stories! Making Movies! Program. We invited the students’ parents, siblings and some other special guests to share in the celebration. Everyone knew what was going to happen except for the four students. We wanted them to be surprised.
As each child entered the room, they were greeted by resident, Sr. Wilda Asfour, who provided bags in which the children collected their bounty. All of the items were coordinated by category to make the selection process easy.
Knitting Group at Cabrini Immigrant Services (CIS) – Dobbs Ferry, NY continues to work on outreach projects that benefit others. The group crocheted sixty octopuses for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Octopus Project. The octopuses are given to premature babies to provide them with comfort. The babies hold on to the tentacles, which 
resemble an umbilical cord. This helps to calm the baby down. It also distracts them from pulling on their medical equipment. In addition to comfort and security, it has been found that the babies who hold the octopus experience better breathing, more regular heart rates and improved oxygen levels.
the parents who are journeying with their children.
“Tu Arma Secreta: Convirtiendo el Estres en una Fuerza Positiva.” (“Your Secret Weapon: Turning Stress into a Positive Force”). The workshop was presented by Betsy Suarez, a licensed mental health counselor.
spoke about how stress can lead to anxiety and how it can affect your mental health and other health issues. She explained how understanding and managing stress is essential to your well-being. Betsy shared how turning stress into a positive force can help you. She gave many therapeutic strategies to help create a more positive relationship with stress. She showed how reframing negative thoughts, journaling, walking, etc. can all help create a more positive attitude. Betsy stated that a positive outlook can transform stress from an obstacle into an opportunity.
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.