World Service Business Convention Report - 2026

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A Letter From the WSB Chair
Opening Remarks
Treasurer’s Report
Bylaws Committee Report
Eastern Area Intergroup  
Western Area Intergroup
Maine Chapter Report
Connection Committee
Convention Planning Committee
Literature Committee
Office Committee
Public Information Committee
Service Group Support Committee 
Traditions Review Committee
Twelfth Step Committee
Closing Remarks

A Letter From the WSB Chair, (Jen N.)

 The following report details the 24th Annual FA World Service Business Convention (WSBC), held May 29-May 31, 2026, in Danvers, Massachusetts.  All  are encouraged to download and read this report in its entirety. Questions may be directed to fa@foodaddicts.org.

The Convention In Brief

The 2026 World Service Business Convention opened with quiet reflection, remembrance of members we have lost this year, and a renewed commitment to our primary purpose. Over the course of the weekend, we conducted the business of FA with care, clarity, and unity of spirit. We welcomed 485 registered attendees and 215 voting members participated. Members joined us from Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and 36 of the 50 United States. 

This year’s Convention included four main motions, the Treasurer’s report and proposed FY27 budget, World Service Board elections, and comprehensive reports from all WSI and WSB committees, as well as from the Eastern Area Intergroup, Western Area Intergroup, and the Maine Chapter. We also heard updates reflecting the tremendous scope of service taking place throughout our fellowship, from translations and literature development to public information outreach, meeting effectiveness, and the ongoing work of strengthening our service structure.

Several themes emerged clearly throughout our discussions. First, how do we ensure FA remains welcoming and available to the next generation of food addicts while upholding our principles.  The Conference thoughtfully considered motions related to meeting requirements and duration. Second, stewardship: we reviewed our financial position, prudent reserve, and future opportunities with an emphasis on responsibility, transparency, and sustainability. Third, outreach: we discussed how best to use our time and resources to increase awareness of the FA solution, including social media strategy, professional outreach, and preserving our history through the Legacy Letters initiative.

Since our first Convention in 2002, the WSBC has remained committed to serving as the active voice and collective conscience of the FA fellowship. Guided by the Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts, we strive for substantial unanimity, thoughtful debate, and leadership through trusted service. We are reminded that we will never become the seat of perilous wealth or power, that sufficient operating funds and a prudent reserve protect our future, and that no member holds authority over another.

Abstinence, gratitude, and service remain the three‑legged stool supporting our fellowship. This year, we saw that service expressed not only through financial contributions, but also through thousands of volunteer hours across committees, intergroups, chapters, and meetings worldwide. The value of this member service is immeasurable  and it continues to carry recovery to the still-suffering food addict.

On behalf of the World Service Board, thank you for your service, your participation in group conscience, and your commitment to keeping FA strong. We are a self-supporting fellowship, relying entirely on the generosity and engagement of our members. Together, we make recovery possible.

With gratitude and respect,
 Jen N.
 WSB Chair

 Our Primary Purpose

Practically speaking, the World Service Business Convention fulfills our legal obligation. As an international non-profit organization, we are required, for instance, to meet annually to provide conference members with a financial report and an opportunity to elect board members.

It is important to know that structurally, FA is a “bottom- up” service organization. World Service, Inc., or WSI, is here to help reach the newcomer by serving FA as a whole and by supporting intergroups. Intergroups support chapters and meetings, who in turn support the most important entity—the individual FA member. WSI officers, committee chairs, and committee members are not here to exercise power or authority. It is just the opposite. Their role is to humbly serve and support. 

 

To be useful to the overall fellowship, WSI needs some amount of formal organization. This includes a board made up of four officers and nine committee chairs. The specific committees are Bylaws, Connection, Convention Planning, Literature, Office, PI, Service Group Support, Traditions Review, and Twelfth Step. Twenty eight subcommittees support these WSI standing committees.

Seven additional committees – Design Review, Finance, Inquiry Response, Meeting Guidelines, Motions Assistance and Review, Personnel, and Project Review – support the board. Each year, if needed, the Resolutions Committee is available to support the conference with main motions.

Opening Remarks, WSB Vice Chair, (Stacy T.)

Good morning, my fellows, my extended family. My name is Stacy. I am a food addict from California and your World Service Vice Chair. Welcome to the 2026 World Service Business Convention.

It’s an honor to stand before all 500 of you from around the globe — period.

Last year, downed by COVID, I was unable to fly in from California and attend in person, but given our hybrid format, I was able to tunnel in like so many others from around the world, thank you god.

And what a year it’s been since then. It was a year filled, more than most, with both tragedies and triumphs, with deep lessons in “life on life’s terms” — and death as well.

As some of you know, my dad died since we last met. As an only child and a daddy’s girl, my “Mr. Mom’s” passing was quite a blow. Larger than life in life, he went out in similar fashion — epic and dramatic.

And now I am left with the task of project managing my mom’s life — a woman who’s never lived alone in her 86 years, until now. That’s where so many of us are in life now in this aging fellowship — transitioning from caring for growing kids to caring for aging parents. It’s a lot…

And speaking of aging, I just turned 62 a couple of weeks ago, and I keep thinking two thoughts: I can believe I’m 62…and I can’t believe I’m 62!

If this isn’t the fountain of youth — physically, mentally, and spiritually — I don’t know what is! FA is its own worldwide “Blue Zone,” a connected community filled with thousands of us working on getting better and doing better — for ourselves and for each other.

On that front, I recently found myself again in what I lovingly call “5th Step Season,” spending a great deal of time reflecting on recovery with longtime abstinent sponsees and other fellows in this program. And what struck me during these conversations is that many of us, after decades in FA, are no longer in the “excavation phase” of recovery.

Sure, there are always new things to shine a light on, but the Big Ticket Items — the dramatic amends and glaring so-called “character defects” — were long ago addressed. We are now in what I think of as our “Refinement Era.” The work becomes subtler, but no less profound, as we continue buffing the rough edges of our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and actions — or lack thereof.

And ironically, to a person, what still seems to hold many of us back after all these years — 21+ years and counting in abstinence and recovery for me — is the pursuit of perfection.

The Big Book and our meeting formats remind us constantly that we are meant to pursue spiritual progress, not perfection. Yet so many of us are still quietly chasing the perfect reaction to one’s partner, the perfect performance review at work, the perfect toned arms, six-pack and thigh gap, the perfect thing to say to one’s child or parent, the perfect way to move through life without discomfort or fear.

But what if the goal all along truly was progress, NOT perfection?

For me, I keep coming back to this quote by the late great poetess and activist, Dr. Maya Angelou:
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”

And that’s where we are as a fellowship as well. We have a rock-solid foundation and great proof of concept that our solution works — and we continue to refine. That’s why we’re here this weekend: not to excavate and upend the tenets of our program that work, but to meet the call of current challenges and opportunities, just as we do in our individual lives when we are truly “working the steps,” as we say.

2026 is a very different world than 1998. In just two year’s time, we will be celebrating our 30th anniversary. Can you believe that?! Thirty years -- thanks to many still in this room! Thirty years…That means we can no longer hide behind our collective spiritual skirt and use the excuse that we are “a young program.” FA’s foundation has solidified and our program has matured. In many ways, FA is grown up.

Nearly 30 years in, FA is now in its refinement phase as well, its “Do Better Era.”

By the time AA hit their 30-year mark, they had grown into a globally recognized fellowship with over 350,000 members — 350,000 and they didn’t even have Facebook! They had moved from a fringe cause into a widely accepted solution for alcoholism, well-established and trusted around the world — including by medical professionals that routinely referred their “lost cause” patients to the program.

By the numbers, one could argue that food addiction, especially now, is a much more prevalent disease than alcoholism — and, unlike AA, we in FA didn’t invent anything beyond our definition of abstinence. In fact we drafted, wisely and almost completely, off the best practices other programs had to offer in order to create our own.

So what has kept us around and what has stunted our growth?

We have nearly three decades of lived experience that tells us our solution works:

• Our consistent study of the Twelve Steps gives us a pathway out of the bondage of self and into connection with a higher power and with others, inside and outside this program
• Our definition of abstinence keeps thousands of us safe from the throes of active addiction.
• Working with an FA sponsor gives us ongoing support, guidance, and accountability.
• Three meetings a week give us community and reminders of what it was like.
• Three calls a day give us connection.
• Our readings put better ideas into our heads than we would put there ourselves.
• And our daily prayer and meditation connect us to something greater.

We can claim incredible success in treating food addiction in virtually all its forms, defying the odds of other treatment solutions in a way that many diets, surgeries, shots, and pills cannot.

This formula works, and it has worked for thousands of us around the globe for nearly three decades now.

And at the same time, in these 28 years, we’ve also learned what doesn’t work:

• Our differentiator is not accidental. It is a hard-won insight: consistent abstinence from flour, sugar, and unmeasured quantities is the cornerstone of relief from active food addiction. When that gets diluted or devalued on the margins of our program under the guise of “compassion,” we lose clarity. And when we lose clarity, the still-suffering food addict loses a clear, proven path to relief.
• Sponsors who choose not to model or encourage service rob their sponsees of one of the greatest protections against the bite: getting outside oneself through demonstrable service. And when service fades, FA loses critical energy, leadership, visibility, vitality, and meaningful committee work that strengthens the fellowship as a whole.
• “United we stand, divided we fall.” Diversity of voices and perspectives is essential to the health of our program as all of our literature tells us, but many still don’t feel welcome in all corners of FA — including here — due to pockets of intolerance and punitive sponsoring that goes beyond the pale.
• And when people vote as their sponsors want them to, when thinking is outsourced, when decisions are driven by fear of being “in trouble” or ostracized, that is not group conscience. That is dependency. And dependency is not what we do in programs that treat addiction. “No human power,” as our literature says…

So, as we close in on 30 years, we know so much more than we did when we first started — for better and for worse.

Our collective aim remains to offer our proven solution to still-suffering food addicts around the globe. So, how do we stay relevant in an ever-evolving world, build awareness, and grow in 2026 and beyond?

How do we retain current members for their own good health and attract new ones for the health of FA as a whole in the midst of deafening diet culture noise?

As our fellowship and its members age, how do we ensure FA is here and held firmly by a new generation of food addicts?

How do we protect what we’ve built and, at the same time, hand over the reins of something we hold so dear in the rightful rotation of service?

We will address some of these issues together this weekend, and that’s tough stuff, but perhaps this will help. As a reminder, here’s what we’re here to do at this convention, from the Short Form of the Twelve Concepts of FA:

Concept 2:

The World Service Conference of FA (THAT’S YOU, OUR VOTING MEMBERS), is understood to be, for nearly every practical purpose, the active voice and the effective conscience of our whole society in its world affairs.

And Concept 12:

The World Service Conference shall observe the spirit of FA tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle; that it place none of its members in a position of unqualified authority over others; that it reach all important decisions by discussion, vote, and, whenever possible, substantial unanimity; that its actions never be personally punitive nor an incitement to public controversy; that it never perform acts of government; that, like the Fellowship it serves, it will always remain democratic in thought and action.

So, how do we do all that work in what can feel like an annual pressure cooker, a pressure cooker filled with fellows from different backgrounds and experiences — even here in FA — that puts our central tenet of unity to the test? For the greater good, how can we resist our deep individual desire to cling to a past that may not serve us beyond our nostalgia and, on the other end, temper our urgency to rush into a future in ways that might backfire?

That balance is a delicate one, but I believe we can get there — together — if we lean into the H.O.W. of the program:

• Be honest this weekend, at least with yourself. Vote your conscience, not your meeting’s or sponsor’s.
• Keep an open mind and have the courage to listen to views different from your own
• And remain willing to learn from the experiences of others, just as we do in our meetings and phone calls — and change your mind if so moved

Because we are not here this weekend to prove we’re right. We are here to seek what’s right for FA as a whole.

We are not here to win arguments. We are here to strengthen a lifeline, to help ensure that this program remains clear, vibrant, welcoming, and alive for the next suffering food addict who walks through our doors or joins us online or by telephone, desperate for relief.

We are no longer a young program trying to find its footing, but a mature fellowship being asked to rise to the responsibility of what we’ve built together. And that’s a beautiful thing.

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”

This is our Do Better Era.

Not because we failed before.
Not because what came before wasn’t enough.
But because we know more now. We understand more now. We have nearly three decades of experience, wisdom, mistakes, miracles, and hard-won insight to build from.

And what a gift that is.

Thank you all. I wish you all a fantastic convention.

And I can’t wait to see you on the dancefloor!

Treasurer’s Report, (Patricia W.)

Fiscal Year Summary

Important Facts:

• FA is financial stable
• We have an adequate prudent reserve
• We live by the spiritual principles of FA Financial Management
• A significant increase in donations has created an increase in revenue in excess of expenses and has replenished the prudent reserve for the loss incurred in the year ending June 30, 2025.

Our fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. The numbers presented below are based on actual results through April plus estimates for May and June. We have used conservative estimates. Actual results will not be available until the fall of this year.

 

Fiscal Year 2026 Commentary

Donations

Thank you to everyone who contributed through meeting donations or directly to WSI. Financial giving is an important part of supporting service and carrying the message. Donations increased by 17.7% this year, with growth coming from both individuals and meetings. Part of this increase reflects a change in the Eastern Area Intergroup’s recommendation to meetings, increasing the portion allocated to WSI from 50% to 75%.

Operating Expenses

Over 50% of our administrative costs are for two part-time employees. Although most of the work in FA is done by volunteers, staff are needed to oversee every day operations making sure the website is functioning, literature is available, and orders processed, emails are forwarded to the assigned volunteer, the bills are paid, questions are answered, and problems are solved in a timely manner. Our paid staff spend a significant amount of time supporting conventions, committee work, intergroups communications and helping individual members.  The other significant costs are for the operation and maintenance of the FA website. FA’s physical office was closed as of February 2026 and cost savings are reflected in the proposed budget for fiscal year 2027.

Final financial results for fiscal year 2026 will be posted at https://www.foodaddicts.org/wsi-financial-statements when review of the financial statements is completed by the outside CPA.

The proposed budget shown below has been reviewed by the Finance Committee and the World Service Board. Additional revisions may occur when the year ending June 30, 2026 is finalized.  The budget will be adopted by the WSB at their July 2026 board meeting. A budget is simply a guide and it can be amended by the board after input from the Finance Committee as situations change during the year.

 Fiscal Year 2027 Budget             

Cautious estimates are used to prepare the FY27 budget. The Board is committed to a balanced budget for FY27.         

• Income is budgeted at approximately the same level as last year.
• Literature shows a profit and includes direct costs and maintenance of the FA online store.  It does not include staff time to manage the ordering of literature and tracking inventory levels.
• There is only one convention in FY27 and revenues are expected to cover costs.
• Over the next several months, the World Service Board will determine FY27 projects focused on making information about recovery from food addiction more accessible to those seeking help. These efforts will support carrying the message through improved outreach, communication, literature, translations, and digital resources.

Prudent Reserve and Project Reserve

Nonprofits are generally encouraged to maintain a prudent reserve—savings set aside to cover operating expenses—equal to at least six months and ideally up to one year of expenses. At the beginning of FY27, FA’s prudent reserve is projected to equal approximately one year of operating expenses and is held in savings accounts and certificates of deposit.

What’s the best way to financially support FA?

• Donate what you can when you can to your meeting, Chapter, Intergroup, and World Service. Donating is a form of service.
• Meeting Treasurers: don’t forget to pass along excess funds
• Video conference meetings can accept 7th tradition donations either directly by the meeting treasurer or by providing the PayPal Giving Fund QR code and URL.
• Individual member donations matter – please consider setting up a recurring monthly if you can at https://www.foodaddicts.org/donate-now .
• Subscribe to Connection.  It makes a great gift!
• If you're able, consider giving up to $5,000 each year and including a gift of up to $7,500 to FA in your will.
• Use the PayPal giving fund for non-recurring donations to eliminate credit card processing fees.

Thank you for your continued financial support of FA. Your donations are critical to FA’s continuing success.

Bylaws Committee Report (Risa K.)

 The Bylaws Committee met regularly this past year to discuss, debate, and draft motions concerning FA bylaws amendments and changes to the FA Standing Rules of Order. Summaries of the motions presented at this year’s business convention and the results of the votes are shown below, and details of the motions follow. The updated bylaws and Standing Rules of Order will be posted on the FA website by early August 2026.

MOTION NUMBER	MOTION	SOURCE	RESULT	VOTE MARGIN
1	Technology Contact	World Service Board	Passed	Unanimous consent
2	Increase Maximum Annual Contributions and One-Time Bequests to FA	World Service Board	Passed	Unanimous consent
3	Meeting Requirements	World Service Board	Passed	Unanimous consent
4	Meeting Duration	Maine Chapter	Failed	Less than the required ⅔ majority. 53.81% voted yes and 46.19% voted no
5	Direction to WSB to Draft 60-Minute Meeting Formats	Maine Chapter	Moot After Meeting Duration Motion Failed	–

1.Technology Contact

The World Service Board moved to amend the FA WSI Standing Rules of Order, 2024 June: Meeting Requirements, item 11 (“Elect the following required service positions”) by adding a new required service position for videoconference meetings registered on the FA website: Tech Contact. 

The motion passed, so the standing rule of order will be revised accordingly.

2. Increase Maximum Annual Contributions and One-Time Bequests to FA

The World Service Board moved to amend Article X, Section 2(a)(1) of the FA World Service bylaws to increase the amount of money an individual member may donate directly to WSI from $3,000 to $5,000 in one calendar year and increase the maximum one-time bequest from $5,000 to $7,500. The only change in the wording of the bylaw is to the maximum amounts. 

The motion passed, so the bylaws will be revised accordingly.

3. Meeting Requirements

The World Service Board moved to amend Article IV, section 1(d) of the FA World Service bylaws, and the June 2024 Standing Rule of Order entitled “Meeting Requirements” to clarify the required elements of an FA meeting format.  The motion passed, so the bylaws and the standing rule of order will be revised accordingly.

4. Meeting Duration

The FA-EAI Maine Chapter moved to change the FA meeting duration provision for meeting registration to 60 or 90 minutes, which would allow each meeting group to determine which option best meets the needs of their members.  The motion did not get the required ⅔ majority so it failed.

5. Direction to WSB to Draft 60-Minute Meeting Formats

Consideration of this motion by the Conference was contingent on the passing of the Meeting Duration motion. Because the Meeting Duration motion failed, this motion became moot and was not addressed.

In other required business at the 2026 convention, elections were held for open positions on the World Service Board. The candidates for Chair, Vice Chair, Bylaws, Convention Planning, and Traditions Review were elected by acclamation, as they ran unopposed. Yolanda P. was appointed to the SGSC chair as Regina M. resigned from this position. The 2026-2027 board is shown below.

POSITION	NAME	CURRENT TERM
Chair	Jen N., Massachusetts	2026-2028
Vice chair	Stacy T., California	2026-2028
Secretary	Sarah B., Texas	2025-2027
Treasurer	Patricia W., California	2025-2027
Bylaws	Risa K., Texas	2026-2028
Connection	Sharon C., New Hampshire	2026-2028
Convention planning	Caroline B., Massachusetts	2026-2028
Literature	Karyn K., California	2025-2027
Office	Julie B., California	2026-2028
Public Information	Joanna A., Maryland	2025-2027
Service Group Support	Yolanda P., Massachusetts	2025-2027
Traditions Review	Callie Z., California	2026-2028
Twelfth Step	Suzanne M., California	2025-2027

Highlights from Chapters and Intergroups

Eastern Area Intergroup  (Janae M., Chair)

 Overview of EAI Affairs:

• EAI launched a new monthly meeting format, bringing the Body Meeting and committee meetings together into a single Zoom session. We gather as a full body, break into committee meetings, and reconvene as a group—all within the regular meeting timeframe. This format has been well received and has created a meaningful balance between fellowship / EAI connection and focused committee work.
• EAI expanded its Zoom capacity (in February 2026 when voting on WSBC potential main motions) to accommodate approximately 350 attendees, allowing greater participation and engagement across the Eastern Area.
• EAI members participated in an extensive main motion review process, including committee work, discussion calls, amendments, etc. While no motions ultimately advanced to the 2026 World Service Business Convention, the process demonstrated a strong commitment to service, participation, and group conscience.

EAI Committee Reports

Service Support Weekend Planning Committee

• Planning is well underway for the 2026 Service Support Weekend, scheduled for November 13–15 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Washington DC – Crystal City. The committee selected the theme, “Everything is Service.” Registration will open August 1, and the SSW webpage became available on the FA website following the Convention.
• The committee updated its Policies and Procedures

12th Step Committee

• Partnered with WSI, WAI, and Newcomer Support & Assistance (NSA) to host eForums and Sponsor Support Series events.
• Continued hosting newcomer breakout rooms during monthly EAI meetings.
• Collaborated with WAI and WSI 12th Step Committees on Legacy Letters, updated the EAI Newcomer Orientation Guide, developed resources for younger members, and shared the completed Spiritual Experience resource.

Financial Aid & Resource Committee

• Continued processing financial aid applications and refining the application process.
• Provided financial aid offers to all Eastern Area WSBC voting members who applied.

Service Group Support Committee (SGSC)

• Continued collaboration with World Service SGSC and supported eight Local Service Groups: Central Ohio, Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Michigan, Southern Indiana & Kentucky, and Washington, DC.
• LSGs carried the message through public information sessions, health fairs, and Fellowship Days.
• Supported regional collaboration efforts, including planning for a joint Ohio/Michigan Fellowship Day, and continued assisting North Carolina and South Carolina in their efforts to establish a new Local Service Group.

Bylaws Committee

• Facilitated extensive review and discussion of three main motions during the year.
• Worked collaboratively to consolidate multiple submissions related to meeting length into a single motion for EAI consideration.
• Continued efforts to streamline the EAI Main Motion submission and presentation process and began development of a centralized, user-friendly Policies and Procedures document for all EAI committees.
• A subcommittee is currently developing potential motions for future consideration.

Public Information (PI) Committee

• Supported meetings, Local Service Groups, the Maine Chapter, and individual members in conducting health fairs and public information sessions.
• Provided outreach materials including banners, tablecloths, literature racks, tri-fold displays, and related resources.
• Collaborated with WAI PI and World Service PI to update website content, strengthen messaging consistency, and develop resources for healthcare and faith-based communities.

Office Committee

• Continued to process new meetings, meeting closures, and meeting updates.
• Maintained outreach materials, responded to emails and voicemails, distributed monthly meeting information, presentations, and minutes, and coordinated website updates as needed.

Information Technology (IT) Committee

• Reduced the number of Zoom accounts, resulting in projected savings of several thousand dollars in the coming year.

Treasurer Committee

• Transferred prudent reserve funds into a money market account, allowing reserves to earn monthly interest.
• Updated financial records and streamlined reporting processes to improve clarity, accessibility, and transparency for EAI members.

Eastern Area Intergroup

Financial Report July 2025-May 2026

Revenue
Total Income	$42,956.74
Expenses
EAI Committee Expenses (less FARC)	$23,178.42
FARC (Financial Aid and Resource Committee)	$3581.89
SSW	$570.80
Donations to WSI	$200
Total Expenses	$27,531.11
Bank Balances
Starting Bank Balance	$64,018.90
Ending Bank Balance	$92,949.75

Upcoming June 2026 Expenses

FARC for WSBC 2026                                                                       $13,439.11
Donations to WSI                                                                               $7,500.00

Conclusion

EAI continues to support approximately 190 meetings throughout the Eastern Area and remains committed to carrying the message of recovery through service, outreach, and fellowship collaboration.

This year, EAI continued to strengthen its service structure while creating new opportunities for participation and engagement. The launch of the new meeting format, expanding meeting capacity, ongoing committee collaboration, and commitment to improving processes all reflected the EAI’s dedication.

We remain grateful for the many trusted servants who generously contribute their time, energy, and experience in service. Through everyone’s efforts, EAI continues to support meetings, outreach initiatives, fellowship events, and recovery opportunities throughout the Eastern Area.

This year reminded us that service remains one of the most powerful ways we strengthen our own recovery while carrying the message to those who still suffer.

Respectfully submitted,
Janae M., FA-EAI Chair, eaichair@foodaddicts.org

EAI Board Officers and Committee Chairs:

Bylaws – Melissa G., eaibylaws@foodaddicts.org

Financial Aid Resources Committee - Bronna G., eaifinancialaidandres@foodaddicts.org

Information Technology - Yehuda B., eaiit@foodaddicts.org

Office Services & Support – Berit M., eaioffice@foodaddicts.org

Public Information – Helen P., eaipi@foodaddicts.org

 Service Support –Tricia H., eaiservicesupport@foodaddicts.org

Service Support Weekend Planning– Jessica M., sswplanning@foodaddicts.org

 12th Step -Maggie O., eai12thstep@foodaddicts.org

 Treasurer – Cathy N., eaitreasurer@foodaddicts.org

 Secretary - Amy S., eaisecretary@foodaddicts.org

 Vice Chair - Evelyn C., eaivicechair@foodaddicts.org

Western Area Intergroup (Diane P., Chair)

 Highlights

Accomplishments in past 12 months:

• Completed a major revision of our SRO’s, to be presented in July and voted on in August
• Hosted Fellowship Day gatherings in Northern California, Australia, Southern California, and within our Spanish-speaking communities.
• Developed a committee manual for the Bylaws committee and created a template to be used for other committees.
• Worked with WSI treasurer to implement a consistent policy of records retention across all committees in WAI.

What’s in the works:

• Rolling out the development of a committee manual for every committee.
• Presenting special topics each quarter for discussion in breakout rooms, and then bringing them together in the general meeting. Ideas for consideration are:
  • The FA Survey – How can we reach more people in our communities?
  • How to write an article for Connection
  • A mini forum on sponsoring

Office Committee

The Office Committee is responsible for maintaining accurate, up-to-date operational systems and supporting members’ access to information and resources.

• Database Coordinators ensure the WSI database is updated with all meeting changes affiliated with WAI.
• Tri-fold Coordinators update in-person meeting tri-folds on the website, averaging approximately seven updates per month.
• Generated a monthly WAI Attendance and Available Sponsor List.
• The Newcomer Orientation provides support to individuals new or returning to Intergroup, offering an overview of Intergroup and instructions for setting up an FA profile on the website.
• The Web Review role conducts an ongoing review of the WAI website, identifying discrepancies and reporting them to the FA Office for correction.

Public Information (PI) Committee

 The Public Information Committee focused on outreach and education within our local communities. They also collaborated with EAI and WSI on projects of interest to the entire FA fellowship.

• Participated in several local health fairs
• Advised the fellowship about how to effectively use the new Letter to the Healthcare Professional
• Made a special panel presentation about FA to groups from diverse interests/areas:
  • Medical providers in the Dallas, TX area
  • Clients in recovery at HealthRight360 outpatient substance use treatment program in San Mateo
  • Clients in recovery at Voices of Recovery, a peer-led nonprofit in Redwood City
• Work on converting successful e-forums into short videos for the website in collaborations with EAI and WSI
• Collaborated in presenting e-forums on organizing and participating in advanced PI activities:
  • E-forum on Health Fairs (August 2026)
  • E-forum on Information Sessions (September 2026)

Bylaws Committee

 The Bylaws Committee focused on governance structure, procedural clarity, and continuity of service.

• Conducted a comprehensive update and reorganization of the Standing Rules of Order (SROs).
• Developed an SRO User Manual to improve accessibility and understanding for current and future members.
• Supported motion makers in bringing proposals forward for Intergroup consideration, including guidance through the process and preparation for potential World Service Business Convention submission.
• Finalized the Bylaws Committee Chair Manual, Committee Manual, and annual bylaws calendar to support continuity and clarity for future leadership.
• Created a standardized format for WAI committee chair/officer and committee manuals (not yet implemented).

Convention Resources Committee 

• The Convention Resources Committee provided financial planning and support for member participation in the World Service Business Convention.
• Allocated funding to support 25 voting members attending the 2026 WSBC Convention.
• Established a total budget of $12,000 to facilitate meeting attendance and participation.

12th Step Committee

 The 12th Step Committee focused on service support, education, outreach, and strengthening recovery engagement, in collaboration with EAI and WSI.

• Monthly MESA resource calls covered topics such as:
  • MESA representation and responsibilities
  • Principles before personalities
  • Crosstalk guidelines
  • Importance of electing a WSBC member
  • 7th Tradition donations
  • “Back to basics” meeting series
• Two very successful e-forums on “Traveling Abstinently” were held, with participation ranging from 130 to 200 members.
• A 15-month monthly sponsor support series began in January and is averaging over 80 participants per session.
• Coordinated volunteer efforts to contact meetings that had not yet elected a voting member, encouraging participation and ensuring full representation at the convention.

Vice Chair Report

• The Vice Chair supported administrative, insurance, and governance functions across WAI operations. In addition to assisting the Chair and the Board with multiple functions, the Vice Chair:
• Secured Certificates of Insurance any in-person meetings in the US and Australia that required it. This has affected 28 meetings in 2026/2026.
• Coordinated submission of WAI’s 2026 general insurance policy renewal.
• Supported the Bylaws Committee Chair in refining and polishing a Committee Procedure Manual, intended as a model for other WAI committees.

Treasurer’s Report

 Expenses of WAI cover both the Western United States and Canada, plus Australia. We are financially stable with an adequate prudent reserve. The report below presents our financial position as of April 28, 2026. WAI reimbursed $11,707 to voting members for travel and online expenses for the World Service Convention. We anticipate some additional expenses before year-end, and have sufficient reserves to cover them. We donated $15,000 to WSI. We are in sound financial shape and expect to end our financial year (Dec) with a small surplus, in addition to our prudent reserve.

Revenue:
Donations-Individuals	$3,956
Donations-Meetings	$8,200
Total Revenue	$12,156
Expenses:
Donations to WSI	$15,000
Financial Assistance to WSC Members	$11,707
Insurance	$5,706
Payment Processing Fees	$362
Public Information Committee Expense	$1,553
Telephone	$112
Total Expenses	$34,440
Revenue in Excess of Expenditures	($22,284)
Beginning Cash January 1, 2024	$54,029
Cash as of April 28, 2026	$31,745

Conclusion

WAI supported over 130 meetings across the western US, Canada, and Australia. Our committees worked on events local to our area (fellowship days and health fairs), and also in collaboration with EAI and WSI (e-forums and monthly support calls). We also reached out into our communities in new ways, such as presenting FA to medical and recovery groups.

Logistically, we updated our SROs and began work on ensuring a smooth transition between committee chairs by creating manuals and guidelines. Legally, we are working with WSI to ensure we are maintaining the proper records.

Financially, we remained strong, continuing our work in supporting outreach, assistance to WSC members, and events promoting fellowship. We maintain a prudent reserve equal to one year’s expenses and are investigating ways to safely invest our cash on hand. We are also in the process of creating a finance committee to support the treasurer and ensure fiscal responsibility.

Respectfully submitted,

Diane P., FA-WAI Chair  waichair@foodaddicts.org

WAI Board Officers and  Committee Chairs

Chair – Diane P. waichair@foodaddicts.org

Vice Chair – Susan F., waivicechair@foodaddicts.org

Secretary – Karen N., waisecretary@foodaddicts.org

Treasurer – Angela M., waitreasurer@foodaddicts.org

Bylaws  – Sheri T.., waibylaws@foodaddicts.org

Office – Lenell A., waioffice@foodaddicts.org

PI – Diane Pr., waipi@foodaddicts.org

Technology – Becky G., waitechnology@foodaddicts.org

Convention Resource – Linda Y., waiconventionresource@foodaddicts.org

12^th Step – Sheryn N., wai12thstep@foodaddicts.org

Service Group Support – Thelma W., waisgsc@foodaddicts.org

FA EAI Maine Chapter

Catherine R., FAMEChapterChair@gmail.com

Ellen C., FAMaineSecretary@gmail.com

Executive Summary

The FA Maine Chapter celebrated its 24th anniversary in 2025-2026. The Chapter was formed in 2002 when members from the first few meetings in Maine organized around four common goals:

• Further the FA program in accordance with the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of FA
• Maintain a communication center for FA groups
• Provide unity
• Educate the public about the FA program

There are four committees within the Maine Chapter that one can join to get involved in service to support outreach to the newcomer. They are the 12th Step, Information Technology, Public Information, and Office/Communications committees. The Chapter currently serves eight meetings in Maine and a New Hampshire border town. Two of the meetings are in-person and six are virtual. Attendance at those meetings ranges from four to more than fifty.  Chapter meets on the 3rd Sunday from 8:15-10:00 a.m.

Some things the Board and these committees have accomplished this past year include having:

• Restructured our monthly meetings in order to more equitably and collaboratively support each of our committees and share service opportunities, large and small, with the Chapter body.
• Strengthened the Chapter’s liaison system, which pairs Board members with Chapter meeting contacts to support relationship building and the promotion of practices to better support recovery and newcomers to our meetings.
• Focused on regular communications to Maine Chapter affiliated meetings and fellows by updating website and bulletin board calendars, directly broadcasting information, and updating documents and forms on both the website and bulletin board to better meet the dynamic needs of members.
• Developed three main motions to promote greater accessibility and outreach to those still suffering from disordered eating. These motions were found to have merit for consideration at the 2026 Business Convention.
• Sponsored and coordinated FA booths at five medical professional and recovery events providing support and outreach; i.e., social workers, nurse practitioners, senior health advisors and recovery organizations.
  • At these events we had 386 conversations with individuals who wanted to learn more about FA and distributed 1,286 pieces of FA literature.
  • Each event is a potential force multiplier given the role of the individuals and the depth of the conversations.
• Each of the Maine Chapter affiliated meetings sponsored 1-2 public information events this year, a result of focusing on strengthening the PI meeting role. To support these efforts, the Chapter PI Committee created a flyer for distribution that lists all PI events from April to October 2026.
• Created and offered two in-person public information sessions, one at the Maine statewide Hope Recovery conference and another at a small rural community housing complex in central Maine.
• Hosted a very successful 17th Annual Meeting Support Day with more than 25 attendees from three states. This event was focused on connection and sharing. Session topics included:
  • Supporting Health Care and Recovery Events,
  • Traveling Abstinently,
  • Sharing Meeting Practices that Promote Recovery,
  • and hosting a connections writing and arts session.
• Maine Chapter fellows and Board members joined and actively participated in the EAI Board and in WSI, WAI, and EAI committees including Bylaws,12th Step, Information Technology, MESA and Special Projects.
• As of the WSB business convention, collected meeting and individual donations totalling $8,251.80, spent $6,103.64 on Outreach and Operations, and donated $2,353.14, split evenly, between WSI and EAI.

Although many of these initiatives are attributable to a specific committee, it is the effort across the fellowship and committees that has brought them to fruition. Many hands make light work. We especially need help to find a way to identify fellows from across the globe committed to virtual Maine Chapter meetings who are registered on the FA website so that the Chapter can communicate regularly and directly with them. Many are committed members who actively participate in service at the meeting level. We are also beginning to focus on gathering the tools and structures necessary to meet in a hybrid format for special projects to be sponsored by the Chapter. To learn more, email Christy C. fameitcoordinator@gmail.com or Ann P. at famechapter@gmail.com 

The Maine Chapter invites you to come to Maine, virtually or in-person--we would love to have you join us

Vice Chair: (faMEViceChair@gmail.com)

• Coordinated content and posted monthly Chapter announcements on the Maine Chapter Bulletin Board to communicate service opportunities, public information sessions, and minutes of Chapter and committee meetings.
• Served as Liaison Coordinator to establish the process for regular outreach between Board members and Chapter Contacts to maintain an ongoing relationship and facilitate better communications helping the Maine Chapter identify needs, facilitate communication, and promote unity between the FA Maine Chapter and affiliate meetings.
• Served as a member of the ad hoc committee to review and support the development of main motions with merit to move forward for consideration by the Maine Chapter Board and body to support potential World Service bylaws changes.

Bylaws Committee: (MEBylaws@foodaddicts.org)

• The Bylaws Committee circulated a schedule and instructions for submitting motions for the 2025 FA World Business Convention.
  • Three motions were submitted. An ad hoc committee was convened and the merits of the motion were discussed. Questions were offered to the motion makers, who then strengthened the motion with this feedback. The motions were found to have merit by the ad hoc committee and were brought forward to the Maine Chapter Board.
  • The Maine Chapter Board reviewed the motions and found they had merit, advancing them to the full Maine Chapter body.
  • The Bylaws chair, with support from the Chapter board, hosted two motion information sessions, answering questions related to the motions.
  • The motions were presented to the full Maine Chapter body, where they were found to have merit and were then advanced to WSI for consideration.
• The Bylaws Chair joined the EAI Bylaws Committee and participates regularly in their committee meetings. This has helped the Maine Chapter Bylaws Chair become more familiar with the EAI and Chapter Bylaws and the processes of changing the Bylaws, submitting motions, and modifying Standing Rules of Order. Being a member of the EAI Bylaws Committee also allows the Bylaws Chair to be closely connected to this committee, so that when questions arise, the Chapter is already well connected to the team who will help answer those questions.

 IT Committee: (faMEITCoordinator@gmail.com)

• Supported individual Board chairs to increase technology skills (computer, Google, Zoom, Pioneer/ClearLive, bulletin board, bit.ly)
• Provided ongoing general and individualized support to Board members throughout the year; assisting new Chapter Board members as they join the Board, and assisted in transition of board members leaving or joining the 2025 Board regarding computer setup and use; and training and support to members regarding Google Drive, gmail, access to files on Google Drive, etc.
• Participated in WSI, WAI and EAI technology committee to assist in consolidation of information and resources, and explore current and future needs. 
• Provided technology support information, resources, support and access to Maine Chapter based FA meetings
• Provided training, trouble-shooting, and support to Maine Chapter based FA meetings as needed, with particular attention to Zoom bombing concerns.
• Assisted Maine Chapter Board members and committees to facilitate and organize electronic resources in provision of recovery based efforts for the fellowship and the community at large.
• Conducted ongoing exploration of system updates, training needs, designing of best practice options, monitoring and increasing skill and comfort of individual Board members in the usage and application of electronic resources.
• Continued to review and explore current Maine Chapter hardware and software with consideration for process and system streamlining and improvements.
• Provided consultation and support to the PI Committee with electronic access through transition from Pioneer to ClearLive (noting that the ClearLive app is not functioning appropriately and support is not responding). This led us to the ultimate decision to stay with Pioneer.
• Provided support to the 12th Step Committee for Meeting Support Day 2026 registration needs.
• Continued to hold  IT Technology Committee meetings at monthly Maine Chapter Meetings. During these meetings, the Committee explored the skills and interests of participating members as well as options for providing technology support to Maine Chapter meetings and individuals attending them, with the aim of increasing skill and ease for accessing and supporting virtual meetings.
• Ongoing exploration of system updates, training needs, design of best practice options, monitoring and increasing skill and comfort of individual Board members in the use and application of electronic resources.
• Provided ongoing assistance to Maine Chapter, EAI, and other nationwide individual FA meetings using Zoom platform as requested.

Office/Communications Committee (O/CC): (MEOffice@foodaddicts.org)

In fiscal year 2025-2026, the Office/Communications Committee (O/CC) focused its efforts on the following:

• Building a cohesive Office Committee team: The Committee began some collaborative committee projects, and identified the skill sets of members who can apply them to our work. We will continue this goal in the coming year.
• Maintaining and updating the communication hub for the Maine Chapter: The O/CC continued to broadcast communications within the Chapter membership, and interfaced with WSI to update Chapter web information.
• Executing and updating Office Committee goals and tasks assignments, a work in progress which will be further clarified as we enter the new fiscal year.
• Updating job descriptions for all Office Committee service positions: a project begun and that will continue into the next fiscal year.
• Supporting FA fellows in accessing and using the foodaddicts.org website in collaboration with the IT Committee.
• Supporting profile registration on the foodaddicts.org website in collaboration with the IT Committee.
• Assisting meetings with their meeting re-registration process in collaboration with the IT Committee.
• Assisting meetings in updating service positions when meeting contact positions change.
• Supporting meetings as the foodaddicts.org website adds the Meeting Secretary, Meeting Treasurer, Meeting Tech Support, and MESA positions to the service positions to be listed on the meeting profile.

Public Information Committee: (faMEPICommittee@gmail.com)

This year the PI Committee of the Maine Chapter:

1. Sponsored and coordinated FA Booths at five events:
1. HOPE Conference (a statewide recovery conference)
2. Recovery Palooza (an event in northern Maine)
3. Senior Health Expo in midcoast Maine
4. Maine Nurse Practitioner Association Conference (a conference for nurse practitioners providing primary care in Maine and the border towns of New Hampshire)
5. Maine Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (a conference for social workers serving Maine and the border towns of New Hampshire)

At these events we had 386 conversations with individuals who wanted to learn more about FA and distributed 1286 pieces of FA literature.

At these events we had 386 conversations with individuals who wanted to learn more about FA, and distributed 1,286 pieces of FA literature.

Each event is a potential force multiplier because every person who stops to learn more about FA may discuss it with a friend, loved one, patient, or client. For example, because of one of the events we did this past year, FA information is available in a primary care office in Caribou, the northernmost city in Maine.

2. Provided FA literature for the providers and the resource rack at the VA Community Based Outreach Clinic in southern Maine.
3. Coordinated and offered two in-person public information sessions:
   1. HOPE Conference, a statewide recovery conference
   2. Spring Rock (a community housing complex in central Maine)

4. Created a flyer to be used at outreach events which listed all the FA Information Sessions offered by FA meetings affiliated with the Maine Chapter. During this past year every meeting affiliated with the Chapter offered an information session (some meetings even offered two!)
5. Reconfigured the Maine Information Phoneline by discontinuing the toll free number and updating the phone message. The phone message provides information about FA, the FA website , and how to find a meeting. From July 1, 2025 - April 30, 2026, we received 38 calls. Only a few callers requested call backs; however, the phone system reflects that callers listened to the message in its entirety.

12th Step Committee: (FAME12stepcommittee@gmail.com)

 The FA Maine Chapter 12th Step Committee worked on ways to carry the FA message to other food addicts. In fiscal year 2025-6, the Committee provided the following services and activities:

• Conduct of orientations to monthly Chapter meetings for new attendees..
• Regular announcement Maine Chapter meeting speaker seeker needs as requested by individual FA meetings.
• Organization and conduct of multiple road trips to a smaller in-person meeting to provide support and speakers.
• Organization and maintenance of the Maine Chapter’s Meeting of the Month list, which has been helpful in encouraging Board members and other fellows attendance at Maine meetings.
• Posting of Maine events on the Maine Chapter bulletin board and the FA calendar as appropriate.
• Regular requests for meetings to reach out to the Maine Chapter with any questions or needs for assistance with problem solving, etc.
• Planning and execution of the 17th annual in-person Meeting Support Day. This event was held at the Opportunity Alliance in South Portland, Maine, on Sunday, May 3, 2026. More than 25 people from three states enjoyed a day focused on connection and sharing. Session topics included:
  • Supporting Health Care and Recovery Events,
  • Traveling Abstinently,
  • Sharing Meeting Practices that Promote Recovery,
  • and a Connections writing and arts session.

• Support of meetings within the Maine Chapter for activities with a 12th Step recovery focus such as art and articles for FA connection magazine, pre- or post-meeting fellowship meals, and nature walks.

Conclusion

This year, the Maine Chapter supported eight meetings: two in-person, and six virtual. Committees collaborated with aligned EAI and WSI committees and on special projects; continued to refocus committee efforts through an examination of goals and succession planning; and hosted the 17th annual Meeting Support Day to support fellowship, connect Maine Chapter fellows, and inspire service. The Chapter’s Public Information Committee also coordinated exhibit booths at conferences and health fairs for medical and recovery professionals that provided FA literature and in-person conversations to people who stopped by. All of the Maine Chapter affiliated meetings sponsored public information events this year; and the Chapter PI Committee offered two in-person information sessions -- one at a recovery conference and the other at a small rural community housing complex in central Maine.

The Maine Chapter spent significant time on developing three main motions that are intended to promote greater accessibility and outreach to those still suffering from disordered eating. These motions were found to have merit for consideration at the 2026 World Service Business Convention.

Financially, the Maine Chapter remained viable, adequately funding all projects and living by the principle of corporate poverty by donating any uncommitted funds equally between EAI and WSI.

Although many of the Chapter’s initiatives were attributable to specific committees, it is the effort across the fellowship and committees that has brought them to fruition. We especially need help to find a way to identify fellows from across the Globe who are committed to virtual Maine Chapter meetings and who are registered on the FA website so that the Chapter can communicate regularly and directly with them. Many are committed members who actively participate in service at the meeting level.

We are grateful for the continued support and participation of the FA fellowship as we carry the message of recovery together.

Respectfully submitted, Catherine R. FA-EAI Maine Chapter Chair

famechapterchair@gmail.com

FA Maine Chapter

June 09, 2026

ME Chapter Officers and Committee Chairs

Chair. Catherine R.  faMEChapterChair@gmail.com

Vice Chair, Patty R.  faMEViceChair@gmail.com

Secretary, Ellen C.  faMaineSecretary@gmail.com

Treasurer, Shirley H.  faMaineTreasurer@gmail.com

Bylaws. KiM C-S  faMEBylaws@gmail.com

IT. Christy C. fameitcoordinator@gmail.com

Office. Ann P.  faMEChapter@gmail.com

PI. faMEPICommittee@gmail.com

12th step. Kathy C. faME12StepCommittee@gmail.com

 

Highlights From WSI Committees

Connection Committee (Sharon C., Chair)

 All web addresses for hyper-links in text are listed at end of Connection report

Description of Committee 

The Connection Committee publishes 10 annual issues of its magazine, featuring beautiful art and personal stories from Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) members who have found recovery. In collaboration with the Public Information Committee, Connection also produces FA Connection PI Postcards (available in packs of 20). These postcards serve as a valuable tool for FA members to share personal stories of recovery and encourage still-suffering food addicts to attend a meeting.

Chair Report

Connection magazine’s focus remains constant: provide members an opportunity to do service by sharing their experience with both the struggles of life in active addiction and the freedom resulting from recovery in FA and increase the quantity and quality of story submissions. To do so, we have held writing sessions and begun talking about supporting Connection as another way to support FA, asking members to consider a subscription as another form of 7th tradition. We’ve also suggested all meetings have a subscription, whether digital or print. We worked with the FA office to make Connection a stronger presence on the FA website by removing the Stories of Recovery link and directing members to our subscription page.

The Connection PI Postcards, available in the FA store, continue to expand the reach of Connection as a PI tool to reach those still suffering with food addiction by directing them to the FA website and a sample double Connection issue with stories and art by FA members. The postcards can be placed on FA meeting literature tables, used at FA events such as health fairs, PI meetings, and fellowship days, and placed in your communities in any location you would leave a trifold or other FA literature – clinician's offices, gyms, and libraries, etc.

Lastly, we updated all of the Connection website pages this past year with more concise content and language. For example, Your Step By-Step as Connection Rep pulls into one document ALL information Connection reps need for their service position. 

2026 FA Convention/Connection Meetings 5/30 and 5/31

5/30

• Welcomed new interested members, introduced our current team; Nine convention attendees expressed interest in joining the Connection committee
• Discussed production, what we are looking for in terms of art/articles
• Discussed new way to submit art/articles via google forms
• Went over new PI Collab postcards and web changes.
• Additional issues of the digital subscription continue to be converted to User-Friendly versions which can be read aloud by your browser.
• Gave away 50 postcard packs to encourage postcard sales

5/31

• Held an Art & Images session which was attended by 16 people. Anna B. and Meredith M. covered information from the Artist Guidelines and showed attendees how they most likely already have photos on their phones that could be submitted.

Subcommittee Reports

Art Subcommittee (Anna B., Subcommittee Chair)

The art subcommittee continues to intake art submission and select art for each issue.

• Use of automated Google form created last year for Gmail users or via email submission form for non-Gmail users have simplified the submission process for art and images and has made them easier to track. Please see https://www.foodaddicts.org/submit-to-connection-magazine to submit an art and images
• Submissions this past year have increased in quantity and usability for the magazine.

Articles Subcommittee (Karen W., Subcommittee Chair)

The articles subcommittee continues to take in article submissions, work with members of the fellowship to create articles, and select articles for each issue. Additional information:

• The July/August 2025 sample issue, specially curated for newcomers, is still available as a free sample to anyone with the QR code on the Connection PI Postcards.
• Use of automated Google form created last year for Gmail users or via email submission form for non-Gmail users have simplified the submission process for articles and made them easier to track. Please see https://www.foodaddicts.org/submit-to-connection-magazine to submit an article. We received 79 article submissions July 2025-June 2026
• Connection Rep videoconference call is held the third week of the month to provide resources for increasing member subscriptions and submissions of art, images, and articles (monthly attendance this past year varied 6-16) Meeting times change every month, so check the FA newsletter and FA Events Calendar for information.
• QR codes for Art, News & Clues (color gallery mentioned above, FA event or highlighted committee item, and online game available from digital or print subscription, respectively) have been used for over a year.

Writing Sessions Subcommittee (Susan F., Subcommittee Chair)

• Revised the Writing Session formats for in-person and videoconference sessions to 60 minutes
• Held successful Writing Sessions timed to support the Australia/NZ/Asia/East Asia fellowships on May 16 and May 17 (both were well received)
• Held a successful Writing Session on Friday of the 2026 Business Conference, which attracted more than 40 participants, resulting in several story submissions and interest from several FA members to join the committee
• Full training is available, including practice and support.

Admin Subcommittee (Kim H., Subcommittee Chair)

• Took monthly minutes and distributed to committee
• Reviewed financial expenses
• Posted digital issues to the FA website
• Supported committee members as needed.

Connection Helpful Web Addresses

Packs of Connection Postcards https://www.foodaddicts.org/store/connection-postcards

Free sample of double issue https://www.foodaddicts.org/connection-sample

Subscribe to Connection https://www.foodaddicts.org/how-to-subscribe-and-use-connection

Submit to Connection https://www.foodaddicts.org/submit-to-connection-magazine

Notable and Quotable ideas https://forms.gle/p37VJqukSMn6zxvQ6

Connection Rep resource “Your Step-By-Step as Connection Rep” https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WOzfGhzt3laA2gTsh2AoIhGN-u2ZgulDGut0pCxeepc/edit?tab=t.0

Connection Writing Session https://www.foodaddicts.org/connection-writing-sessions

 Convention Planning Committee (Cayce K., Chair)

Description of Committee

The convention planning committee is responsible for planning and overseeing all aspects of the annual World Service Business Convention (WSBC), typically held in late spring, and the FA Fellowship Convention, held periodically as determined by the WSB. This includes all matters related to publicity, registration, hotel logistics, food and entertainment, contract negotiation, hospitality, and anything else required to ensure a smooth-running convention.      

Service Plug

We need you! If you are interested in joining our committee, please email convention@foodaddicts.org!

Chair Report

2026 Business Convention

• On May 29th - May 31, 2026 we successfully hosted our 24th annual World Service Business Convention in Danvers, MA.
• We had 500 members in attendance from 36 US states, and places all over the world including: Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
• We had 215 voting members this year, representing 59% of total meetings worldwide.
• Business sessions included a general overview of FA's structure, opening and closing remarks, our treasurer's report, four motions, and acknowledgement of outgoing and incoming chairs. Other events included the recording of four new podcasts, WSI Committee meetings, FA qualification and sharing meetings, live entertainment, and our usual annual, lively dance party!
• The WSI Service Group Support Committee presented a Sharing Session at the 2026 WSBC. The session was titled Building Community Through Service which was 90 minutes of experience, strength and hope from our members. The minutes will be uploaded to the website once approved.

2027 Fellowship Convention

• Planning is currently underway for the 2027 Fellowship Convention. Please stay tuned for further details!
• At our last Fellowship Convention in 2025, we had over 400 fellows join us for an amazing weekend of fellowship and recovery. Next year we are hoping to welcome even more people from the fellowship to the Convention. The more the merrier!

2027 Business Convention

• Planning is currently underway for the 2027 Business Convention. Please stay tuned for further details!
• Each year at the World Service Business Convention, we hold elections for WSI Officers and Committee Chairs. As 2027 is an odd year, we will be accepting nominations for the following positions: secretary, treasurer, literature chair, public information chair, service group support chair, and twelfth-step chair.

Literature Committee (Karyn K., Chair)

Description of Committee

The Literature Committee oversees the ideation, creation, development, translation and maintenance of pamphlets, booklets, books, and other FA literature as well as records podcasts for placement on various podcast platforms.

Chair’s Report

In the past year, the Literature Committee wrote, edited, and revised various pieces of literature and recorded dozens of podcasts, as well as translated current literature and meeting formats into several languages.

Writing and Editing Subcommittee (WES) - Deborah F., Chair

WES completed their planned goals for the year, including:

• Began writing the Mental Health pamphlet and will conduct interviews to collect experiences.
• Drafted Slogans pamphlet and will begin gathering fellowship input.
• Solicited ideas from the fellowship at the 2026 Convention during the Literature Committee meeting.

Translation Subcommittee – Chris B., Chair

The Translation work within the Literature Committee is a crucial pillar in our mission to reach the still suffering food addict worldwide. The focus is on accessibility and providing support to a diverse audience across various languages. Their efforts have significantly expanded to include Hindi in addition to French, German, Greek, Italian, Russian and Spanish. Currently, the Mandarin and Hebrew teams are quiet.

The Translation team has also translated, reviewed and worked with the Meeting Guidelines Chair to upload the Meeting formats in various languages. New this year are Arabic and Hindi.

Translation teams focus on the five foundational FA pamphlets: Twenty Questions, Before You Take that Bite, Food Addiction and the FA Solution, the First Two Chapters, and Living Abstinently. They then move on to Thoughts on Sponsoring.

The strategy is to post all translations on the FA website. The Spanish translations are also printed and available for sale. This year we experienced an access challenge in Russia due to sanctions and internet access restrictions. The team will continue to work toward resolution.

Audio Recording Subcommittee (ARC) - Maude H., Chair

There are multiple moving parts and complexities to the Audio Recordings and podcasts. Much of the output is available to the public and to those who may have never heard of the FA program. Podcasts are available on the FA website as well as on all podcast platforms.

Podcasts are reaching thousands of listeners. Our opportunity is to help more listeners find the stories that resonate with them and to improve content discoverability and entry points instead of chance connection. Ultimately, we want to offer the same authentic voices of experience, strength and hope with stronger pathways to connection. We will focus on this in the coming year.

Over 40 FA volunteers continue to work diligently on the recordings. Here are some 2026 highlights:

• The ARC Subcommittee continues to record two podcasts per month. This year, 22 new podcasts were released. 2025 Why We Do What We Do was also released.
• Collaborated with the Translation team to produce podcasts in Spanish, German, and Russian.
• At the 2026 Convention, four podcasts were recorded, as well as the Why We Do What We Do session.
• Began using Riverside editing program to improve quality and multi-language efficiency.
• 113,900 downloads, 4100 (avg.) followers, 73,000 plays
• The Transcription Team worked with the Office to provide content for the Podcast Blog. To date there are twelve episodes available.

Operations Subcommittee – Kelly M., Chair

We worked with proofreaders, a graphic designer, printer, and the FA Office to produce the new Some Thoughts on Sponsoring pamphlet plus revised and reprinted:

Twenty Questions, Before you Take that Bite, Just For Today, To Our Family and Friends, Living Abstinently

One new pamphlet, Some Thoughts on Sponsoring, was produced, as well as Living Abstinently in Spanish.

Office Committee (Julie B., Chair)

Description of Committee
The Office Committee (OC) oversees and supports the World Service Office (WSO), which serves as the administrative and communication hub of Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous. The WSO manages the FA website, processes member subscriptions and donations, coordinates meeting listings, and handles official communications to and from the fellowship.

The OC also supports WSO staff and volunteers, ensuring the infrastructure is in place to serve members, committees, and newcomers. The Office responds to inquiries from individuals seeking recovery, FA members, and committee representatives, and serves as the central contact point for the fellowship.

The OC chair also participates in the WSI Finance and Personnel Committees and collaborates with other WSB committees to ensure seamless communication and operations across FA’s service structure.

Summary of Major Achievements

• Strengthened staffing and convention support.
• Reduced operational costs.
• Modernized technology and recordkeeping.
• Gathered valuable fellowship-wide information.
• Expanded outreach and accessibility.
• Continued to focus resources on carrying the message to the still-suffering food addict.

Organizational & Staffing

• Hired and onboarded a new Convention Administrator (Michelle B.).
• Strengthened support for increasingly complex business and fellowship conventions.
• Continued to support the fellowship through a dedicated and flexible office staff.

Financial Stewardship & Cost Savings

• Reduced email system costs by converting unused mailboxes to aliases.
• Conducted a review of operating expenses to improve stewardship of FA resources.
• Closed the physical FA office and transitioned to electronic records.
• Implemented digital storage to reduce expenses and improve operational efficiency.
• Reviewed literature pricing with the WSB Treasurer to ensure long-term sustainability of printing and distribution.

Member Support

• Cleaned up the service positions database.
• Conducted the FA Census to gather updated information about membership and meeting attendance.
• Conduced a Member Survey to develop a clearer picture of fellowship demographics.
• Introduced twice-monthly text message updates for the fellowship.
• Equipped meeting representatives with QR codes to simplify donations and support.

Outreach & Carrying the Message

• Launched the FA Podcast Blog as a standalone website.
• Improved search engine visibility for FA and the podcast.
• Added transcripts to make content accessible to people with hearing impairments.
• Expanded opportunities for newcomers to discover FA online.

Public Information Committee (Joanna A., Chair)

Chair’s Report

I joined the WSB Public Information (PI) committee in November in a time of transition. As of November, we had shrunk down to a small but mighty group of members and an extremely large slate of past and aspirational activities. At our December meeting, we decided to start anew under the tested philosophies of “First things First” and “Keep it Simple” with an initial focus on the two things we view as most impactful: 1) reaching those who do not know about FA through the media and information sessions and 2) informing the healthcare professional. To that end, we organized our small committee into four subcommittees:

1. Social Media (Debra R, subcommittee chair)
2. Information Sessions (Shoshana, subcommittee chair)
3. Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC) (Carol, subcommittee chair)
4. Writing & Editing (Saffron, subcommittee chair)

The subcommittee chairs are focused on building their subcommittees with active members and exploring new ideas, particularly around the best ways to use social media while adhering to the 11th tradition and revisiting how we have historically used information sessions with an eye toward continuing effective outreach, discontinuing what doesn’t work, and being open to new ideas. Our Writing & Editing subcommittee ensures that our materials and all written materials are well-written, and comply with FA’s writing standards. 

Our current goals include:

1. Building an organized, effective committee of members with a variety of skills and strengths to enable us to most effectively get the word out about the existence of FA.
2. Cleaning up the PI pages on the FA website to ensure that it aligns with current activities, materials, and links.
3. Clarifying the committee’s view of the 11th tradition and how it applies to social media outreach.
4. Exploring the effectiveness of information sessions of all kinds, developing new ideas, and developing materials/formats for the intergroups and FA meetings to use.

In a few short months, we have:

1. Set an immediate, short term path forward for the committee with a plan for future activities.
2. Drafted and posted on the FA website a new letter to the healthcare professional for members to take to their providers.
3. Onboarded two new members: a secretary who will take minutes at our monthly committee meetings and organize our internal materials and a new member with media experience who will help us with “Search Engine Optimization (SEO)” to ensure that anyone searching for help will find FA easily.
4. Implemented a plan for increasing membership on our committee through outreach to those who expressed interest and a Google form clarifying what is needed.

We need new members! If you are interested in PI, join us!

Whether you have creative ideas you’d like to discuss, would like to help with concrete tasks like clearing up our website pages or developing materials, we have things for you to do. Our plan is to grow our current structure to revisit and/or reinvent past PI activities to best reach the newcomer and spread the word of FA recovery to those who may refer newcomers. It is important and energizing work. Our core committee meets the first Sunday of the month for 90 minutes, and the subcommittees meet as needed in between. Only subcommittee chairs are required to attend the monthly core committee, but all members are welcome. 

Service Group Support Committee (SGSC), (Regina M., Chair)

 Description of Committee

The Service Group Support Committee (SGSC) supports local service groups (LSG) Chapters and Intergroups.

Chair Report

The year for the SGSC ended with positive changes for the LSG’s.

I am happy to report that LSG’s now have individual webpages. This is a big step forward to further cementing the LSG’s as an integral part of our local fellowships. Furthermore, the webpage communicates to the LSG’s happenings within the fellowship, and  communicates to the worldwide fellowship of FA, to give members the idea of “Maybe we too can have an LSG,” which is great. Many thanks to the FA office for their vision to get this done!

In November of 2025, the SGSC committee held a Global call in which three members shared their experience in forming an LSG, their decision making process on events, and sustaining the LSG for the long haul. The sharing session had lots of great ideas and would be helpful to members that want to enrich their fellowship with an LSG. The minutes of this meeting are on the SGSC webpage.

The LSG’s hosted many fellowship days, health fairs and public information sessions this past year. The SGSC committee is grateful for those LSG’s that stepped up and brought their members from near and far for a fun day of Icebreakers, sharing sessions and fellowship lunch. Once again it proves that “when I get busy, I get better”.

Finally, the SGSC presented a Sharing Session at the 2026 WSBC. The topic was “Building Community Through Service”, in which five members shared how service enriched their lives, to develop long lasting connections in FA. The sharing session was followed by sharing from members with 90 days of abstinence and working with an FA sponsor. The sharing overall was rich with wisdom and experience from members. The meeting minutes will be uploaded to the webpage in the near future.

Traditions Review Committee (TRC), (Callie Z., Chair)

Description of Committee

The Tradition Review Committee’s mandate is to consider how the Twelve Traditions guide us on various issues raised by FA members or groups. Inquiries are submitted to traditions@foodaddicts.org. The committee meets to discuss these issues every other month, then shares their thoughts with the inquirer and with the fellowship (when appropriate) through various WSI reports and the TRC Index. The TRC is not a governing or policing body, nor does it get involved in resolving the issue; rather, it helps enable the person(s) to deal with the situation or the other person(s) involved.

Chair Report

From July, 2024-June, 2025, the TRC received 14 inquiries at traditions@foodaddicts.org. Of those, 7 inquiries were discussed and responded to by the Chair, and 7 were discussed and responded to by the full TRC as follows. Questions about any of these inquiries may be directed to traditions@foodaddicts.org.

Inquiries Overview

    Responded to by TRC Chair.

1. Posting a PI Session on Instagram
2. Business Meeting minutes generated by AI
3. Speaker’s name in Podcast
4. Meeting Registration Requirements
5. Selling a journal on commercial website
6. Media Contact
7. PI Session with professional speaker

Inquiries discussed and responded to by the TRC (detailed inquiries can be found on the TRC Index at https://www.foodaddicts.org/trc-index-search).

1. Accepting donations within the fellowship
2. Flag viewable on Video Meeting
3. Group Conscience (Business Meetings)
4. Meeting Autonomy
5. Political discussion before and after the meeting
6. Ideologic Messages on Apparel in Meetings
7. Adding wording to the format regarding hate speech (unpublished due to lack of information)

Subcommittee Report

After discussion the Eforum subcommittee was disbanded. The committee got off to a strong start and had some great early success but over time it became harder to keep people engaged. With so many competing demands on fellows’ time, the video format just wasn’t enough to sustain interest in the Traditions E-Forums. We are always looking for ways to increase knowledge of the 12 Traditions. Any suggestions or comments can be sent to traditions@foodaddicts.org.

We held a joint committee meeting with the Bylaws Chair from WAI. The conversation was engaging and thoughtful, with fellows sharing personal reflections and experiences related to the various traditions. The discussion offered valuable insight into how the traditions are understood and applied within our fellowship.

Thank you,

Respectfully submitted by

Callie Z.

Traditions Chair

Twelfth Step Committee (Suzanne M., Chair)

 Description of Committee

The 12th Step Committee supports FA members in growing in recovery through service. We facilitate efforts at the meeting, intergroup, chapter, and World Service levels by encouraging connection, sharing resources, and offering guidance to help members sustain abstinence through service.

Chair Report

• Held monthly core committee meetings for subcommittee updates, new initiatives, and project collaboration.
• Secured and coordinated over 20 volunteers for outreach efforts related to WSBC representation.
• Worked cross-functionally with WSI chairs and committees, including the intergroups to edit literature, support World Service Business Conference (WSBC) initiatives, and respond to meeting concerns.
• NSA subcommittee prepared and presented a Welcome Booklet to the WSI Literature Chair to potentially add to the FA-approved literature list.
• Reviewed and updated 12th Step webpages with FA office.
• Monthly MESA resource calls continue every first Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (Topics covered–I’m a MESA Rep; Now What?, principles before personalities, crosstalk, the importance of electing a WSBC member, the 7th Tradition donation, and a back to basics at meetings series).
• The MESA Committee MEQs (Meeting Effectiveness Questions) are being revised this year.
• WSI, in collaboration with WAI, EAI, and NSA (Newcomer Support and Assistance) held a Traveling Abstinently eForum on July 27, 2025 from 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Pacific and had over 200 participants.
• A second eForum on traveling abstinently took place on Sunday, November 2, 2025 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Pacific had over 130 participants.
• Suzanne M., newly elected WSI 12th Step Chair, presented two initiatives: monthly sponsor support calls and legacy letters from fellows with long-term abstinence and recovery (The latter is still in the planning phase).
• The fifteen-month monthly sponsor support series began on January 18, 2026 (every third Sunday from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Pacific), averaging over 80 participants (Jan.-132, Feb.-64, and March-56).
• The WAI 12th Step Chair facilitated a deep dive on the 12th Step Committee at the WAI meeting on November 9, 2025 to familiarize Intergroup participants with what the 12th Step Committee includes and the services it provides to FA fellows.
• In January and February 2026, WAI and EAI volunteers contacted meetings regarding sending a voting member to the 2026 Business Convention.

Subcommittee and Partner Highlights

Newcomers Support and Assistance (NSA)

• Conducted three Greeter Resource Calls and later transitioned to a pre-recorded presentation due to low attendance.
• Produced and reviewed an 8-minute Greeter training video.
• Planned and delivered “A New Way of Life” eForum on April 5, 2025.
• Initiated development of a Newcomer Welcome Pamphlet.
• Conducted dry runs for Monthly Newcomer Orientation rollout.
• Collaborated on four eForums on sponsorship with EAI and WAI.

 Conference Member Support and Assistance (CMSA)

• Recruited from EAI and WAI subcommittee members to assist in making calls to meetings without a voting representative.
• Developed and disseminated email guidance, outreach scripts, and volunteer assignments for the outreach-call project.
• Made 100+ calls to meeting representatives and contacts to encourage WSBC participation and offer support and assistance.

Meeting Effectiveness Support and Assistance (MESA)

• Hosted monthly Resource Calls on topics such as:
  • Meeting Security
  • Supporting Zoom Tech Teams
  • Crosstalk in meetings (with Spanish interpretation)
• Added Spanish interpretation to every third call to promote inclusion.
• Sent out monthly communications to MESA representatives, sharing updates, feedback.
• Updated and submitted new Meeting Effectiveness and Inventory questions to the WSB.
• Explored hybrid convention engagement and resource topics like “Value of Service” and “Meeting Inventory.”

The Only Requirement (TOR)

• This committee is on hiatus

Eastern Area Intergroup (EAI) 12th Step Committee Partnership

• Collaborated with WAI and NSA on sponsorship eForums.
• Progressed on Spiritual Experience Project:
  • Exploring video and written formats
  • Reviewing AA materials and the FA book
• Supported CMSA with outreach-call project.
• Preparing an EAI Orientation format overhaul with target launch in September 2025.

WAI 12th Step Committee Partnership

• Partnered on monthly Sponsorship Support Calls with EAI and WSI.
• Launched planning for "Traveling Abstinently" eForums 
• List of traveling abstinently tips.
• Promoted committee collaboration and global podcast speaker outreach.

Closing Remarks, WSB Chair Jen N.

2026 World Service Convention Remarks

Hi. We’ve come to the end of another World Service Convention, marking another year of FA’s existence and the impact it has had on so many of our lives.

I’ve been attending these conventions since my earliest days in recovery watching, learning, and participating in the evolution of our program and our World Service work. The details of logistics and agendas have faded over time, but the impact has remained vivid.

In the early days, I attended conventions feeling afraid and uncertain. I came because my sponsor recommended it and because the people whose recovery I admired were here. I didn’t yet feel like I belonged.

As time passed and I gained more abstinence, I did more service. And something changed in me. I became less afraid, less insecure. More aware of how God was working in my life. I came to understand that every food addict who wants recovery is welcome in FA. We are unified by our most foundational goals to abstain completely from flour, sugar and unmeasured quantities and to be guided by the spiritual principles embodied in the tools and the twelve steps and twelve traditions. This common understanding is at the core of what it means to be in recovery from food addiction. That this is my belief, it also means I belong here. You belong here. We all belong.

Yesterday morning, to open our session, I shared a slide titled *“Why We Are Here,”*

But the deeper question remains: Why are we here… in FA? Why does FA work?

Over the years, we have talked a great deal about change, about remaining relevant, accessible, adaptable. We discuss growth, our aging fellowship, accessibility, and voting numbers. And there is no doubt that change matters. We must remain open so we can continue to serve the still-suffering food addict.

But as we consider change, we must also remain mindful of what makes FA so effective.

I’ve been wondering: are we not growing because we aren’t changing enough or could it be that we risk changing too much?

In my experience, FA has not been concerned with growth in the traditional sense. We have always understood that FA is not for everyone - in fact, it isn’t for many. We are not designed to address an eating problem or even an eating disorder. We are designed to treat food addiction.

People usually find us when they have tried everything else. They have reached the state of desperation. In fact, when I speak to doctors and share our literature, I suggest they pass it along to patients for whom they have exhausted every instrument in their doctor's bag  and still remain at a loss.

It is a different world than it was 20 years ago. Children receive earlier interventions. Medical treatments are more sophisticated. There is greater acceptance of diverse body sizes. And that is all good.

And yet there is still a place for FA.

Because addiction is physical, mental, and spiritual and for some, medical solutions will not be enough. We must be here, ready.

FA is a “we” program. The way we show up for one another, especially for newcomers,  is our superpower.

We give our time. We listen. We share our experience. We offer belief in a Power greater than ourselves. We provide suggestions that help people find the courage to change, pointing them toward the spiritual principles.

But we do more than that.

We open our homes. We share our dinner tables. We offer rides. We support one another through dating, marriage, divorce, loss, aging, parenting, illness, and death. Some of us become extended family.

As I look out at this room, I am aware of the life we traverse together in recovery.

We work hard for our recovery. We have hard conversations. We practice rigorous honesty. We maintain disciplines that are not always easy. And we show up day in and day out.

This is not casual. This is a spiritual community walking a spiritual path together.

When I first began sponsoring, I was afraid of people not liking me. So at times I gave away a softer version of the program than the one that had been given to me. I adjusted it. I assumed it might be too hard.

It didn’t work.

I didn’t keep sponsees and more importantly, they didn’t experience the transformation I had.

Eventually, I learned to keep it simple: share the language of FA, share my experience, and stop deciding what someone else could or could not handle.

The results were very different. It became a spiritual experience.

Food addicts who come to FA desperate are not looking for an easier, softer way. They are looking for a solution delivered with kindness, clarity, and conviction.

So as we leave this convention, perhaps our focus is not primarily on growing numbers or demographics - but on keeping it simple.

Whether we meet in person or online for 60 or 90 minutes, let's focus on being findable and ready to share a clear uncompromising message of recovery from food addiction.

I know that with God's help we will continue to show up for one another in remarkable ways. 

Let us keep passing on with kindness the undiluted program that has been so freely given to us.

Thank you for being here this weekend and for staying to listen. As you travel home, be mindful of your re-entry, sometimes it can be hard. Be sure to rest, and to take comfort in knowing you showed up. That is enough and it is important. Gaining and maintaining abstinence takes courage, faith and an open mind. Showing up at Convention is a huge service. 

Please take good care and thank you for walking this path of recovery with me.