The CEO of the Davis Street Community Center (DSCC) in San Leandro, California, Rose Padilla Johnson is a long-time leader in the community service sector. As the head of San Leandro’s DSCC since 1991, Rose Padilla Johnson oversees a health clinic, childcare services, and even cooking classes at one of the region’s most active community centers.Focused on teaching nutrition as well as cooking skills, Davis Street’s cooking classes show community members how to prepare healthy and culturally relevant meals on a small budget. With a specific focus on preparing nutritious meals with donations received from food pantries, the class welcomes people from all backgrounds and provides translation services for Spanish and Cantonese speakers.In addition to preparing meals, the Davis Street cooking class focuses on bilingual education about obesity risks and ways to avoid obesity for both children and adults. Participants in the cooking classes also receive one-on-one support from a wellness coach who assists with identifying lifestyle changes to improve nutrition and overall health.
Since 1991 Rose Padilla Johnson has led Davis Street Community Center, Inc., in San Leandro, California, as chief executive officer. In this position, Rose Padilla Johnson oversees an array of community services, including nutritional cooking classes, directed at the most underserved populations of San Leandro and its surrounding areas. The cooking classes offered by Davis Street Community Center are broken into two key segments. Families begin by learning how to budget for, shop for, and prepare healthy meals, including foods with cultural significance. Cooking classes are led by professional nutritionists in the ultramodern Demonstration Kitchen and may be delivered in Spanish, Cantonese, or English.Following cooking lessons, participants are immediately paired with a wellness coach who emphasizes the importance of a balanced diet and identifies life strategies that can help families maintain healthy eating habits. These personalized consultations can address specific living situations, such as preparing meals for adults or children living with diabetes. Nutritional cooking classes are open to all Davis Street clients, particularly those coming from low-income communities of color and people who have recently immigrated.
