Black woman-owned health agency expands to reach Rochester’s most underserved communities

ROCHESTER, N.Y. A Black woman-owned health agency in Rochester is getting a makeover.

Exercise Express is rebranding with a new name and will add more community-based programs. Exercise Express will now be called EE Pathways. After 12 years in business, the agency realized there is more than just one way to health and wellness. Now they’re expanding to reach some of the city’s most under-served communities.

Friday afternoon a group of people spanning all ages got their steps in at Aenon Baptist Church to not only stay fit but to also learn how they can improve their health. EE Pathways is hitting the ground and spreading its message.

“We will be introducing the community to our new services,” Owner Karen Rodgers said. “We are here to employ individuals in healthcare careers. We are here to provide services such as exercise classes. We also have diabetes prevention programs.”

“They learn about nutrition,” Dionne Dempster added. “They learn about exercise, ways to just incorporate physical activity because people think that physical activity always is you know in the gym. You’re doing jumping jacks. You’re doing this and that, but actually, it’s just physical.”

EE Pathways isn’t doing this alone. They’ve partnered with agencies such as the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System, United Way’s Together Now, and Women’s Initiative Supporting Health Transition Clinic, just to name a few.

“We are experts in one area,” said Latisha McCray, director of operations and programming at EE Pathways. “So we partner with other experts in another arena so that we can provide holistic services for clients who come in for whatever their needs are.”

EE Pathways wants to help employ the next generation that is interested in the healthcare profession.

“We have college internships,” said Rodgers. “We are recruiting for the HHA Program so individuals can have a career path in the health and wellness industry.”

EE Pathways says although some of their programs are Medicaid billable, the rest of them are free and open to the community. You can find the health and wellness facility inside Aenon Baptist Church.