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.
