CABRINI OF WESTCHESTER

SEE SCHEDULE O FOR A DESCRIPTION ON THE CABRINI IMMIGRANT SERVICES (CIS) PROGRAMCABRINI IMMIGRANT SERVICES (CIS) IS A STOREFRONT LEARNING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER ESTABLISHED IN 1998, AS AN APOSTOLIC OUTREACH PROJECT OF CABRINI OF WESTCHESTER IN DOBBS FERRY, NY. IT WAS NAMED FOR MOTHER FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI, PATRON SAINT OF IMMIGRANTS. THE AGENCY REACHES OUT TO ASSIST THE UNDERSERVED AND UNDERPRIVILEGED OF ALL RELIGIONS AND RACES IN OUR COMMUNITY, OTHER RIVERTOWN AREAS AND THROUGHOUT WESTCHESTER COUNTY. WE WORK WITH NEWLY ARRIVED IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO STRUGGLE TO FIND SUPPORT WITH THE EVERYDAY CONCERNS AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT CAN BE OVERWHELMING TO THOSE LACKING RESOURCES, LANGUAGE SKILLS AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIETY'S SYSTEMS, STRUCTURES AND PROCEDURES. CIS WORKS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE LOCAL IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH THE MEANS TO INTEGRATE AND NAVIGATE THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE IN A NEW COUNTRY INCLUDING INSTRUCTION IN ENGLISH; EDUCATION SUPPORT; ENCULTURATION; ASSISTANCE WITH ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, SOCIAL SERVICES; CITIZENSHIP ASSISTANCE, EMPLOYMENT REFERRALS, RESUME WRITING, HOUSING AND SKILLS TRAINING. IN ADDITION, WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO CLIENTS LIVING IN THE RIVERTOWNS, ROCKLAND AND OTHER WESTCHESTER AREAS. IN 2024 WE HAD A FTE STAFF OF 1.375 EMPLOYEES. CIS CONTINUES TO OFFER EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES TO THE IMMIGRANT POPULATION. WE WORK WITH PRESCHOOLERS, ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ADULTS. OUR PROGRAMS FOR OUR PRESCHOOLERS INCLUDE A TERRIFIC TODDLER PROGRAM WHICH IS FOR TODDLERS AND THEIR PARENT/CAREGIVER. WE HAVE A PRE-SCHOOL LITERACY PROGRAM FOR AGES 2-4. WE OFFER A STARS (STORYTELLING, ART, READING AND SOCIALIZATION) FOR KIDS PROGRAM FOR GRADES K-6. WE HELD 3 GIVING BACK PROGRAMS (OUR CHILDREN MAKE PACKETS OF TOILETRIES, ETC. TO GIVE TO A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION IN NEED) WHICH WERE GIVEN TO LOCAL NOT-FOR-PROFIT AGENCIES. WE HELD THE SHARING STORIES! MAKING MOVIES! PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 3-10. THIS PROGRAM TEACHERS THE STUDENTS HOW TO CREATE MOVIES BASED ON THEIR WRITTEN STORIES. THE PROGRAM WAS OFFERED IN THE FALL, SPRING AND SUMMER. WE TRAINED COLLEGE STUDENTS TO BECOME STORYTELLERS. A CERTIFIED STORYTELLER TRAINS THE STUDENTS OVER A 7-WEEK PERIOD. THE STUDENTS ATTEND IONA UNIVERSITY, NEW ROCHELLE, NY.CIS WORKS WITH ADULT STUDENTS/CLIENTS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. WE ASSIST THEM WITH THEIR NATURALIZATION EXAM. CIS CONTINUES ITS 100% SUCCESS PASS RATE FOR OUR CLIENTS WHO TAKE THIS EXAM. WE OFFER 1:1 TUTORING FOR ADULTS WHO WANT TO LEARN OR IMPROVE THEIR ENGLISH. THE CLASSES ARE HELD IN-PERSON AND VIRTUALLY. WE ALSO OFFERED A NUTRITION WORKSHOP FOR 8 WEEKS. EACH PARTICIPANT RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION. THE PARENTS/CAREGIVERS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE TERRIFIC TODDLER PROGRAM AND THE PRE-SCHOOL LITERACY PROGRAM. WE HELD SEVERAL WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR OUR ADULT CLIENTS. THE WORKSHOPS FOCUSED ON SELF-CARE.WE HAVE ASSISTED CLIENTS IN COMPLETING FORMS FOR RENT, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, SNAP APPLICATIONS AND OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTANCE. WE ASSIST FAMILIES WITH REGISTERING THEIR CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO DISTRIBUTE MONTHLY FAMILY TO FAMILY FOOD CARDS.CIS CONTINUES TO COLLABORATE WITH THE FOLLOWING AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP ASSIST AND MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR CLIENTS: SPRING COMMUNITY PARTNERS, DOBBS FERRY, NY; CATHOLIC CHARITIES; NEW YORK IMMIGRATION COALITION; CABRINI IMMIGRANT SERVICES NEW YORK CITY; FAMILY-TO-FAMILY FOOD DISTRIBUTION; OPEN DOOR; DOBBS FERRY RECREATION; MERCY COLLEGE, DOBBS FERRY CAMPUS; THE MASTERS SCHOOL, DOBBS FERRY; DOBBS FERRY ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS; IONA UNIVERSITY, NEW ROCHELLE; WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE, VALHALLA; AND SOUTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FOOD PANTRY, DOBBS FERRY AND NEIGHBOR'S LINK, WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY. IN ADDITION, CIS HAD 1 SOCIAL WORK INTERN WHO ATTENDED HUNTER COLLEGE, NYC. WE ALSO HAD A HUMAN RESOURCE INTERN FROM WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE, VALHALLA, NY. THE DIRECTOR OF CIS, WHO IS A TEACHER (N-12) AND A LICENSED MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK, SERVES ON THE ADVISORY BOARDS OF WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND IS A MEMBER OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION TEAM AT IONA UNIVERSITY, NEW ROCHELLE, NY.