Faces of Hope Helps Children Living in Guatemala

Having begun her career working with families of low income, Rose Padilla Johnson now serves as chief executive officer of Davis Street Community Center in San Leandro, California. Rose Padilla Johnson also belongs to the San Leandro Rotary Club, through which she has worked with the Faces of Hope project in Guatemala.

Established in 2005, Faces of Hope helps Guatemalan children to receive medical care. The nonprofit program annually sends medical professionals and nonmedical volunteers to the country in order to perform surgeries on cleft lips and palates. Prior to the surgery, many of these children have not left their homes or attended school due to their conditions. In addition, they may not know how to speak clearly.

In 2018, Faces of Hope sent more than two dozen medical professionals and volunteers to fulfill its mission. The group worked in the hospital affiliated with Obras Sociales del Santo Hermano Pedro and collaborated closely with the Guatemalan nonprofit Asociación Compañero Para Cirugía (Partners for Surgery). Before the participants headed home, they completed 59 surgeries.

Cooking Classes that Make a Difference

As the CEO of Davis Street (DS), Rose Padilla Johnson has endeavored to pursue her passion to help the low-income families living in San Leandro and the surrounding towns of Alameda County. Since Rose Padilla Johnson assumed office, DS has grown from a $380,000 agency to a $10.5-million agency. The growth was attributed to DS programs that proved to be helpful in achieving the goals of the organization. One of the unique programs at DS is the nutritional cooking classes.

DS boasts of an innovative demonstration kitchen. A DS nutritionist shows participants the ways to prepare healthy and culturally relevant meals at the least possible cost. All the ingredients in the cooking classes come from donations to the DS pantry. Participants are also trained how to shop for nutritious ingredients with limited resources. DS also provides its clients with printed materials, available in different languages, to educate them about the risks associated with obesity.

After all the hands-on training, DS assigns a wellness coach to each participant for one-on-one coaching for improved health, eating habits, and reduced incidence of obesity. 

The program has proven to make an impact. For instance, diabetic participants have experienced tremendous weight reduction, losing as much as 10 pounds in one month. More importantly, diabetics are able to maintain blood sugar levels without taking medications.