Leah’s Pantry is currently collaborating with Project Open Hand and the S.F. Department of Disability and Aging Services to provide nutrition education and nutrition counseling services to eligible older adults and adults with disabilities. Those enrolled in either a DAS funded congregate or home-delivered meal program are eligible to participant in these services.
Nutrition Education: Food Smarts Workshops
We teach four-week workshop series using our Food Smarts curriculum at various congregate meal sites where participants:
- Learn how to plan balanced meals
- Get simple strategies for healthy eating
- Participate in fun activities and cooking demonstrations
Duration: four workshops total, one hour per workshop, once a week over a four-week period (schedule can vary depending on site)
Update 04/2020: Due to COVID-19, our in-person workshop schedule is temporarily postponed. If you are interested in virtual programming, please contact Anna at anna@leahspantry.org.
Nutrition Counseling
Nutrition counseling involves talking one-on-one with a registered dietitian (RD). An RD is a licensed professional trained to provide individualized advice on food and nutrition.
What can clients expect from nutrition counseling?
Clients meet with an RD for a brief 15+ minute session, in which they can receive:
- Dietary advice in maintaining health or managing a medical condition
- Answers to questions related to diet and healthy living
- Support in setting and achieving nutritional goals
- Information on free food resources
How do clients receive nutrition counseling?
Over the phone: Clients who are referred to nutrition counseling via GetCare will be contacted by one of our RDs over the phone.
In-person: An RD can also visit your site and provide counseling for clients in-person. For more information, please contact Anna (anna@leahspantry.org).
Update 04/2020: Due to COVID-19, all nutrition counseling is currently happening only over the phone.
Meet our Registered Dietitians!
Call one of our RDs during their office hours (see below for specific times and language capacity). If you prefer a language that is not listed here, please fill out our request form and a RD will contact you as soon as possible.
Anna Ng, MS, RD
(650) 825-1964 | Mondays-Fridays 1-5pm PST
Language capacity: English & (Conversational) Cantonese
Anna Ng graduated from UC Davis with a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Nutrition and completed her supervised practice with Sodexo Dietetic Internships in New York City. She was born and raised in San Francisco and finds great joy from working with all age groups. Her philosophy on food encourages making mindful choices that nourish the mind, body, soul and planet.
Danielle Davidson, RDN
(415) 295-2064 | Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays: 10am-6pm PST
Language capacity: English & Spanish
She was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition at San Francisco State University and completed her Dietetic Internship through Iowa State University in 2019. She is bilingual in Spanish, and is passionate about supporting clients in making positive changes that improve their health and nutrition. In her free time, Danielle likes to discover new music, experiment in the kitchen, watch comedy standup & true crime shows, and spend quality time with family and her tuxedo cat, Paco.
Natasha Knoten, RD
(951) 268-2494 | Tuesdays-Fridays: 11am-4pm PST
Language capacity: English
Natasha Knoten joined Leah’s Pantry in 2019 as a Registered Dietitian and provides nutrition counseling in a remote setting. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science and Nutrition and completed her internship at Loma Linda University California. Natasha’s 20 years experience includes research in food science, pediatric nutrition counseling, lactation education, health coaching and life coaching. Natasha enjoys acrylic painting, mosaic art, spending time with her family and has been an active volunteer in helping people from all walks of life in her community for the past 30 years.