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FA Forum 2023 Highlights

Back Together, Better Than Ever

^{Friday, June 2, 2023}

SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

Opening Session – Highlights

Welcome: The session was opened by the outgoing chair of the WSI Service Group Support Committee. After three minutes of quiet time and the serenity prayer, participants were welcomed to the Forum. The FA World Service Board Chair was introduced to deliver opening remarks.

Opening Remarks from WSI Board Chair

Welcome to the Forum 2023! It is so good to see you! What a blessing that we are here together. My heart is so full! I have been to every business convention except the year my mom passed away. Being here always feels like a reunion. It’s wonderful to reconnect with old friends and make new connections.

This year feels particularly special, being back in Danvers brings another moment of normalcy, in the midst of this post-pandemic world. We’ve been through so much, personally and as a global community. I’m sure I’m not the only one that relied heavily on the foundation of recovery these past three years. I found strength in my faith in a Higher Power, the Twelve Steps, the power of service, and, of course, abstinence, the tools, and my fellowship. The bedrock of my life has been built on this foundation for the past 26 years and I am beyond grateful.

When I heard the theme of the Forum, I thought the Committee picked the perfect one: Back Together, Better Than Ever! That’s exactly what we are; we are back, and we are better.

For the next few hours, you will be able to attend multiple sessions focused on important topics that connect to the very foundation of FA; sessions on service, reaching the still-suffering food addict, the importance of the Traditions and history of our program.

I look forward to being with you over the next few days and I hope you come away from the Forum and the weekend, inspired, grateful, and ready to be of service to that still-suffering food addict.

Enjoy the Forum!!

General Forum Information

The presenter reviewed the schedule, times, and structure and explained that there are two 70-minute sessions with three different breakout session topics offered during each. The breakout topic Why We Do What We Do is recorded and participants must be seated by 1:30 PM. The titles and topics of the remaining sessions were described to help participants choose which to attend.

The open time between the sessions is only 10 minutes to allow more time for sharing. The Forum concludes at 4 PM and attendees will receive an email survey to provide feedback for planning future Forums.

Finally, the Forum Planning Committee, the Convention Committee, the FA office staff, and more than 100 FA members who coordinated and planned the Forum were thanked and acknowledged. Volunteers are here to facilitate, share, handle equipment, take notes, track time, and mark sure the rooms are comfortable. Thanks to all for participating in the Forum!

The session concluded with a moment of silence and the Serenity Prayer.

SESSION A

Why We Do What We Do: The 90-day Requirement to Share – Highlights

Session Description: Long-term FA members share experiences that led to the 90-day requirement to share at an FA meeting. We will also hear their hope and strength on why the 90-day requirement remains central to our program today. Attendees will leave the session with a better understanding of why we do what we do.

Structure: This session had a facilitator, a note-taker, and five panelists.

Introduction: People are allowed to share from day one in other programs. FA tried that and found that it doesn’t work. The 90-day requirement to share has long been written into our bylaws. We have found that having people wait to share until they have 90 days makes for a better recovery program for all.

Panelists’ Sharing

Panelist 1

I got abstinent in 1981 and have 42 years of abstinence. Recovery has changed my entire perspective. Each day is an adventure to be lived. We need to take action (Step 1) to stop hurting ourselves with food. We must also take Steps 2 and 3. Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. OA was the first program that applied the Twelve Steps to food. It started in 1960. There was no cohesive plan regarding food.
A member started OA in 1973. She met another member, who was also in AA. They started the first AWOL. It was a disaster. Members were still eating, missing meetings, etc. After that, they wrote up a list of commitments establishing the concept that for sustained recovery, abstinence is essential.
There were no criteria for sharing at the beginning. The AWOL co-leader said, “We all sound drunk. Sit down for 21 days.” Later she said, “We still sound drunk. Sit down for 90 days!” The other co-leader agreed. It was essential that we inspire newcomers. The OA World Service Board took a dim view of this requirement. It should be only a suggestion, they said.
About 100 people came together to form FA. These were the main reasons:
- Announce AWOL at meetings (to legitimatize the study of the Twelve Steps).
- Have a definition of abstinence read at every meeting.
- Establish a 90-day requirement for sharing.
The GSO determined that these elements complied with the Traditions.

Panelist 2

I started OA in 1976 at age 26. What I share is just my own experience. In OA everyone could share and there was no definition of abstinence.
Meetings lasted an hour. People came half an hour late. There was coffee with creamer. People kept getting up to get coffee. They would say, “I ate yesterday, but I’m abstinent today” or “Don’t be hard on yourself.” When these statements came from a red-faced, angry, 30-pound overweight member, I knew that something was a little off.
In July 1983 I tried FA. I had tried everything. I had been bulimic, fat, and both. I met people with one or two or even five years of abstinence. These people were clean, happy, and well-groomed.
When I was told I couldn’t share, I was mortally offended. I had things to say! I didn’t get hugs and kisses. My disease met recovery. This was a program for addiction, not for compulsive overeating. The latter does not destroy your life. Food addiction is something you ARE. It never goes away, and it’s deadly. It is a combination of mental obsession with physical compulsion. We are driven because of our personality defects. Addiction always destroys inner life. It takes away our respect and joy.
The goal of meetings was recovery, not to make you feel better. FA immersed me in a structure that communicated that this is a deadly disease. The message was hope. At every meeting, I got proof that sustained abstinence was possible. It’s about saving lives.
90 days is essential. The reason is not this founder or that founder. The reason is that meetings voted to have 90 days! They voted to uphold this practice because it works. It’s also logical. We are out of our minds when we’re newly abstinent. We need time. I have been abstinent for 40 years. And that is a miracle. Each of us needs a strong meeting. We all need to know how to get well and, above all, how to stay well.

Panelist 3

Everything we have worked for needs to stay in place. I don’t want to go back to where I came from. I came into recovery in 1985 into a small meeting in Chelsea with an abstinent group of core members. It was OA, but there was good sharing. The definition of abstinence was the same as it is today in FA. Positive reinforcement in the meeting was what I needed.
I also heard from others at the meeting about NOT being abstinent. At that time, the requirement was 21 days to share. But the meeting kept hearing members share about going back to the food. They decided to change to 90 days for sharing. Then the message being heard was about the positive aspects of recovery.
With recovery, I no longer hated myself. I gained self-respect. I sat and listened to those with long-term recovery. I saw changes in people once the 90-day requirement went into effect.
I use 90 days as a measure for other things in life, too, such as adjusting to a new job.
It’s good for newcomers to be able to sit and listen and not have the pressure to share. If it’s not broken, why fix it?

Panelist 4

I started in OA in 1977. I tried for 21 years in OA to get and stay abstinent. Step 1 was the hook. I surrendered to FA on June 5, 1998.
I had 22 years of abstinence. Three years ago, I had a horrific bike accident with a brain injury and during my recovery, I had a break in abstinence. After one day of not eating abstinently, I got honest and learned again the importance of the 90-day requirement.
I was so happy to be alive, it was fine to be quiet for 90 days. I got to have the experience again of being new, being quiet, and sitting in the easy “armchair” of our program. It was a gift to sit and listen again and not need to think about what I was going to say. I was very grateful for that opportunity. Sitting back and staying quiet is not a punishment. It’s letting others wrap their arms around us.

Panelist 5

I came into recovery in September 1996 in D.C. There was one meeting with a 90-day requirement. OA sent them cease-and-desist letters about the 90-day practice. I learned a lot from the New England folks about why they were following the 90-day guidelines.
I used to leave OA meetings confused because I was hearing so many different ideas about how to handle the food. But at the one 90-day meeting members were clear-headed, and that attracted me.
Let us not repeat the past. Our meetings need to be strong so we can help the still-suffering newcomers.

Facilitator’s Share

Until the food is down, we’re not getting any traction. When the food is down, we can begin to connect with God, to get better. Without that, we cannot move forward.
Newcomers have a remarkable ability to know good recovery when they hear it. They go back to the meetings where there is strength. The guideline to reach 90 days of abstinence is a bedrock of that recovery.

Audience Sharing

There is a difference between listening and hearing. It was about saving my life. People who went before me gave me strength, and I learned how to tell my story.
If I hadn’t known it was possible to stay abstinent, I would have left. But I was hopeful after hearing sharing from abstinent people.
I came into FA in 2004 into a tiny fellowship. I thought they would make an exception for me and let me talk before having 90 days. But no! After a bit over four years of abstinence, I went back to day 1 because I was restricting my food. Initially, I felt humiliated at having to wait 90 days again to share. But it was humbling, not humiliating. I shared at AA meetings (sober 20 years). But when I went back to day 1 in FA, I stopped sharing in AA. It’s an amazing thing to have people who are addicts be quiet and listen. It’s a gift to listen for 90 days, not a punishment.
One time at our business meeting we allowed a person without 90 days to speak. The meeting ended up lasting an hour instead of the usual half hour!!
I was a know-it-all. I knew a lot about nutrition and was looking for an easier way. I tried OA for 10 years without any success but never got a sponsor during that time. Then I went to a meeting where 30 days were required to share. I ended up in a meeting where no one had abstinence and everyone could share. It made things worse for me. The 90-day requirement forced me to sit still and listen in a way I never had before. Things changed. I got abstinent 24 years ago.
I joined FA 20 years ago and was in a fellowship with two other people. I kept listening to these two people and to recordings. When I got 90 days, I qualified, but I was only up to age 15 by the time we took the break! I needed the beginning time waiting to reach those 90 days to learn. Twice in these 20 years, I had to do my 90 days again after picking up the food.
In 2006 I came to FA. I knew how to lose weight, but I did not know how to keep it off. I had an attitude about not sharing, but knew I had no hope. I heard people saying that they didn’t eat no matter what. When I went to meetings without the 90-day requirement, I noticed the sharing was different. I heard more experience, strength, and hope where there was a 90-day requirement. I left Program in 2016 and then came back in 2017. I had to be quiet again and knew it was the right thing.
I came to FA in 2004. I was in treatment six months before that and drew pictures of my insides and my outsides. My outside was fine, thank you very much. But inside I was all sadness and dirty plates. I did not need to be heard in the meetings. I was heard on phone calls and with my sponsor! That is compassion!
I initially came into recovery in 1987 and there was no 90-day requirement. Then I joined our FA program in 1993. I learned how to accept help. People loved me until I could love myself. That is what I got from being quiet for 90 days. I didn’t have to earn my keep. I could just be and let others take care of me. It was like I got a blanket. I had never had that in my life before. I didn’t have to be the expert. People were speaking for me, the newcomer. They shared genuine hope with me, not a phony “feel-good anonymous.” No one promised me a perfect life.

Closing Comments

Take and discuss what has been shared today to others. Empower people who are new to the program to know why it is the greater kindness to let newcomers sit and listen.

LSGs, Let's Get Together! – Highlights

Session Description: A fun and interactive session that explains everything you wanted to know about Local Service Groups (LSGs)...but were afraid to ask!

Welcome and Introduction

The Chair of the Maine Chapter opened the session to welcome participants. To get an understanding of who was in the room, she asked how many were currently part of an LSG, how many had been prior to the pandemic, and how many wanted more information about forming an LSG. The goals of the session were reviewed, which included having each person experience being part of an LSG.

SGSC Overview

The chair of the EAI SGSC gave a short review of service groups to explain how they fit into the overall FA structure. She explained that there are three types of service groups and each is organized differently: LSGs, chapters, and intergroups. Today’s discussion was focusing on LSGs, which help to strengthen and grow the worldwide fellowship. Historically, LSGs formed in geographic areas but now another type of group, built around a common interest, culture, or characteristic, such as language, is emerging. These are called Special Composition LSGs and they are vital to expanding service globally to reach the still-suffering food addict.

Group Formation – Creating LSGs

The next presenter, the outgoing chair of the WSI SGSC, asked the participants to break into small groups of 4-5 people to do some brainstorming. After the groups were formed, the presenter asked a series of questions to reveal the composition of each group. These questions demonstrated that each group was comprised of people from multiple meetings with familiar and unfamiliar members, all of whom were interested in building stronger connections and greater FA unity to spread the word to others. These characteristics are the very definition of an LSG!

Brainstorming and Planning an Outreach Activity

The incoming chair of the WSI SGSC passed different scenarios to each group for them to develop an event plan for their newly formed LSG. These scenarios offered realistic situations such as hosting information sessions or reaching underserved areas to spread knowledge of FA. Each group had 15-20 minutes to confer and develop their plan.

Each group was invited to share their plan with the entire group as well as to describe any challenges they may have encountered. What was it like to work with people they didn’t know well? Was it awkward? How did they work through the challenges?

Wrap Up and Review

The chair of the WAI SGSC concluded with a short review of upcoming SGSC global meetings, other Forum breakout sessions that might support LSG activities, and how to find additional resources and support. A questionnaire was available to each participant to provide feedback. The session closed with a moment of silence and the Serenity Prayer.

Questionnaire Results

These are a sample of comments received from the questionnaire:

Discussed ways of strengthening and growing the fellowship with other members.
I liked how we were put into groups and given a scenario to work through.
The brainstorming session was most helpful when it came to planning out a Public Information Session.
The scenario route was very effective. I got a lot out of the session.
This breakout session gave me hope that I can go back to my fellowship and start a local service group.
The scenario on how to organize a Fellowship Day has many fun ideas! I will suggest this when my local service group meets next.
It was fun and I learned about how the local service groups help the still-suffering food addict.

Traditions Jeopardy: You Don't Know Jack! – Highlights

Session Description: Using a “game show” approach, this highly interactive session brought attention and focus on FA’s 12 Traditions in a light, energizing way. Participants competed to win “FA Bucks” by answering questions about the Traditions and FA meeting practices.

Welcome – Serenity Prayer, Introduction, and Game Guidelines

Thank you for joining us today. We’ve devised a fun way to learn more about the 12 Traditions and the Traditions Review Committee, or TRC. You may wonder what the role of the TRC is. Essentially, TRC is a group of fellows who have been charged by WSI to review and discuss how the 12 Traditions guide consideration of specific issues raised by FA members, individual meetings, intergroup or Chapters, and/or the WSB.

When an issue comes up, the TRC confers and shares its thoughts and suggestions with those who have submitted inquiries and the fellowship through the TRC Index, a database that contains all issues received by the TRC since 2002. The TRC Index is posted on the FA website and is searchable by topic or tradition number.

Our purpose is to give you a sense of what the TRC is all about in an interesting, light-hearted way.

Rules of the Game

There are six categories in FA Jeopardy:

Back to Basics
Meeting Potpourri (Zoom Meetings)
You Be the Judge
Attraction Versus Promotion
The Only Requirement
Our Common Welfare

Remember that in the Jeopardy format, you are given the answer and must respond in the form of a question. We have two support people who will select the player for each answer, award FA bucks, and arbitrarily change the rules if they feel like it.

Once an answer has been revealed, raise your hand, make noise, or jump out of your seat, if you think you know the correct question. In addition to providing the correct response, extra FA bucks will be awarded if you can name the Tradition. We’ll play until the board has been completed, and if time allows, we’ll have a Final Jeopardy Round.

Playing the Game

To start the game a volunteer selected a category and dollar amount. As each statement was revealed, individual participants enthusiastically competed to answer which tradition the scenario fell under. Additional bucks were awarded to those who could answer the TRC’s response. The game continued until all categories and statements were revealed and answered.

For Final Jeopardy, members were given unique scenarios from the TRC Index and offered their ideas on a response. TRC members added further insight if needed. The session close with the Serenity Prayer

SESSION B

Introducing the WSI Newcomer Support and Assistance Committee – Highlights

Opening Remarks: The agenda for this session is first to review the purpose of this committee and what we are doing. That will be followed by a sharing session about the newcomer experience. We’ll conclude by describing how to get involved.

Purpose: This newly formed committee provides support to new and existing members. Their focus is twofold:

Helping the newcomer understand those things they can do to aid their recovery when they first come to FA.
Helping existing members better support the newcomer.

What We Are Doing: Shared a brainstorm of ideas and some of the work we have started. Ideas that we identified to aid the newcomer in helping their own recovery:

Enhancing the newcomer portal
Developing a “Why We Do What We Do” video
Developing a newcomer pamphlet for literature tables
Hosting E-Forum sessions
Creating a newcomer support line
Providing a resource to help make sponsor connections

Ideas we identified to help existing members better support newcomers:

Developing a structure for the greeter position (our next project)
Developing a ‘Welcoming the Newcomer’ video
Enhancing resources on the FA website
Meeting suggestions (breakout rooms, literature table, etc.)
Hosting E-Forum sessions
Interacting with SGSC – Using LSGs to better support the newcomer locally

Things we have already done:

Developed a committee home page on the FA website with suggestions and resources for newcomers and existing members. Look under FOR MEMBERS under the 12^th Step Committee and send us your ideas!
Developed a video entitled, "A New Way of Life", explaining why we do some of the things we do in FA. It is currently posted on the FA website. (The video was played.)

Sharing Session: Participants were invited to share about the newcomer experience. What would have been good for you to hear, or what worked well that should have been amplified?

I joined FA in January of 2021 so Zoom helped. My sponsor was big on outreach calls. I still use calls and they help even when I just leave messages. I needed outreach calls and appreciated callbacks. Zoom is important. People called me from the meetings and I appreciated it when members told me how important it was to get a sponsor right away.
People sharing their numbers and pictures was important. I lost 120 pounds and it helped at the beginning to see other members’ “before” pictures. The slogans were helpful. I used them when I felt challenged because I didn’t know how to cope. Examples are “Feelings are just feelings” or “This too shall pass.” The importance of God moments. I need to believe if I want recovery. A woman asked me, “Can you believe that I believe?”
I joined FA in California in 1998 and found FA to be very organized, welcoming, and focused on me. People were kind and had time for me during phone calls. I felt like they wanted me to do well. I felt the consistency of the program. Others were there every week focusing on the tools and slogans. I get on the videoconference meetings early and treat them like they are in-person meetings. I try to be welcoming but not pushy. If you want what I have… I call new people and try to give them what I’ve been given. I was lumpy, dumpy, and grumpy before FA but with encouragement, I changed. I intentionally call members on the fringes or with language barriers and reach out to folks in foreign countries.
What not to do: Make sure you’re not bickering and whining. It’s sure to send a newcomer out the door.
I joined in 2010 at 244 pounds. I felt there was too much God talk at first, but my small meeting was supportive. I had bad feelings about God but listened to others sharing how God was working in their lives.
I joined at 400 pounds and have weighed around 171 or 172 for the past seven years. I needed to find out what drove me to eat. It was very emotional and sometimes I cry just reading the format.
I came into FA 11 years ago at 205 pounds and now weigh 135 pounds. I learned quickly that prior planning prevents problems. I wanted to hear more about the Twelve Steps. Struggling food addicts need help when they come in and there is a solution in the Twelve Steps. I knew I couldn’t have done this by myself.
I left FA after five years and returned in 2016. There were no local meetings so that put me on the frontier. I made lots of phone calls and getting callbacks was very helpful. I connected with many new people and older members. When it was difficult to know what to say, I talked about family struggles and ask how the other person how they were doing. It wasn’t good when I called and did not receive returned calls.
I joined FA eight months ago, got a sponsor right away, and have lost 87 pounds. I felt like it was cultish at first but was desperate to learn why we do certain things. Somehow, FA members helped me understand. My first sponsor was rough. That lasted 11 days and I cried for a week, but the new sponsor was better. Harshness doesn’t work. It helped me to hear the medical side of addiction.
I joined FA in 2006 and went from 373 to 169 pounds in two years. I was encouraged by members who were welcoming, friendly, and explained that cravings will go away. I owned a restaurant and thought it was important to tell people what we do.
I really see and listen to others. When people said “hello” it made me feel like I existed. The videoconference breakout rooms are a great help in welcoming newcomers and chatting with others. Members need to reach out to the newcomers who show up at Zoom meetings.

How To Help: Join our committee! We are a small committee and could use more members.

Breaking Through the Language Barrier: A Guide to Using Technology to Carry the Message Internationally – Highlights

Session Topic: How FA is developing skills and using technology to reach those who are marginalized through the language barrier and how we can carry the FA message internationally.

There were 22 members in attendance, with seven support staff (facilitator, timekeeper, notetaker, and room monitors)
The facilitator introduced the four panelists, which included the Translation Subcommittee Chair

Serenity Prayer and 5 minutes of quiet time.

Breaking Through the Language Barrier: FA is growing geographically with many different cultures and languages. A blessing from the global pandemic of 2020 was that FA members discovered technology to reach those whose home language is non-English. Anybody with a problem with food should feel welcome in FA, no matter what language they speak.

Literature

Flyers in Spanish have been created and members are encouraged to identify organizations where these can be placed in the community. Also, the flyer can be reduced to a half-page to use fewer resources and be distributed more easily.
Spanish language tri-folds have been created to send to members who may not live in the United States for distribution in person and/or electronically during Zoom meetings to promote the three Spanish-language virtual meetings.
A QR code has been added to all Spanish literature so there is more accessibility on the FA website.

What’s App

Viber and Skype were previously used for international communications; however, since the pandemic, What’s App has become the preferred communication medium.
Group chats have been created for Spanish-speaking members who need to find information.
- A phone list is posted in the chat (currently 119 members)
- The Twenty-Four Hours a Day book has been translated and is posted daily, or a member can download the daily reading a month at a time. A member created and posted a Spanish audio recording of the reading so members can listen to the daily reading.
- Meeting reminders are posted in the group chat.
- Newcomers are directed to the What’s App group chat for information they need (meeting times, translated literature, translated meeting formats, requests to receive literature via USPS mail, etc.).

Interpretation Feature on Zoom

During the pandemic, a member discovered an interpretation feature in Zoom. After investigation, that member recruited others to learn the technology functions, created dual language meeting formats, and held impromptu meetings to test the interpretation features.
Using Zoom’s interpretation option breaks the language barrier, as you can have up to seven different languages available if interpreters are available.
There are multiple parts for a successful “dual language” meeting: Qualifier, English to non-English interpreter, and non-English to English interpreter.
The Latin Community initiated the use of the interpretation feature and has taught FA members speaking other languages how to use it for their meetings.
Hand signals were created so interpreters could communicate to the qualifier: slow down, speed up, repeat, stop, too soft, too loud, etc.
The recently formed LSG group uses interpretation features at their meeting for three languages: English, Spanish, and French.
Zoom offers closed-captioned features that support translation from non-English to English.
Google Meet has closed-captioned features that support translations in 17 different languages.

Translation Subcommittee Chair

Eight different languages are currently available on the FA website.
All language’s translated web pages are being standardized to maintain the integrity of FA.
All languages are being converted from a personal Gmail email address to a foodaddicts.org email address so the newcomer will feel safe when reaching out.
Translations of three pamphlets (Just for Today, Before You Take That Bite, and Food Addiction and the FA Solution) and two booklets (The First Two Chapters and Living Abstinently) are in various design stages and will soon be available on the FA website.
Every language has its own specific needs, whether it is a page on the FA website or translated literature titles that the community uses more than others.

Public Information Sessions in a Virtual Age: A Guide for Meetings and Local Service Groups – Highlights

Session Topic: Explore new public information service opportunities in the virtual landscape. We will break down the steps to producing a PI session online into manageable pieces and explain how to put attendees in the seats in a way that already shows proven results. We will also explore how meetings can collaborate to carry the message more effectively.

Introduction: First things first. This really does take a team. All members from the participating FA meeting(s) sent invites to people who had either expressed interest in the program or were currently supporting FA members.

At the EAI PI virtual event, 139 people attended. Of those, 20 were new and 3 asked for sponsors (that we know of). The March 13 virtual PI session was delivered in place of a regular FA meeting. That meeting typically has about 21 members in attendance, but the PI session attracted 72 attendees. Of those, 60 were current FA members or family attending for a second time and 12 were new to FA.
The organizing group voted to hold the May 21 virtual PI session on a different day and time than the regular meeting. At this session, there were 27 participants of which 4 were new to FA.
A virtual PI session needs at least 13 service positions to run the session effectively, including two coordinators, a Zoom host, a timekeeper, a moderator, a security cohost, a link representative, a slide presenter, an IT cohost (optional), 3-4 speakers, and 2-3 greeters. It is very important to get a diversity of speakers. Try to get a coordinator from your meeting. The responsibilities for these positions are provided in the guidelines document for all to read and review so that each volunteer understands what is expected.

Speakers

I went to great lengths to attend my PI session. It showed me how the fellowship came together in an expected way. Three to five people came to our event. The teamwork and community created by hosting the PI session was the most important thing I got out of this experience.
I got involved with PI sessions to save my own life and the life of my former husband. Volunteering kept me busy, and when I got busy, I got better. This service helped me feel more connected with my local fellowship. I felt emotionally connected on the day of the PI session. A long table for a fellowship lunch provided a beautiful moment.
Hosting a PI session required teamwork. Ours was an in-person meeting, not virtual. The idea of holding the PI session was recommended during a business meeting. Even with a “small but mighty” meeting, the group experienced a boost of energy with this decision. The possibilities for PI are infinite. It does require a team. Recovery itself requires a team. We all learn together in this process. Opening the door to let one food addict help another has been something that brought their meeting closer than ever. Set a timeline for yourself.
The local area fellowship was excited to be a part of this to give this program away. A core group of members had fellowship time together. The highlight was watching the lights go on for people who had not heard about the program. One member invited someone from Bali to a PI session and she came. (I'm about to cry.)
The big question is how to get the information to the suffering food addict. LSGs (Local Service Groups) will hopefully take on doing Virtual Information Sessions. We will channel what we have developed to help the suffering food addict. Zoom has opened up the world of FA. We could do VPIs in Russia if we choose. We speak the same language of food addiction and have the ability to do meetings with translation. Let this be your passion project; it really gives you a sense of purpose. These stories are so inspiring.

Ideas

Email a list of service positions to the people from the business meeting for signups.
Create a task list in a spreadsheet format so it can easily be used; plug and play.

Questions and Sharing

How did you come up with the idea of sending a text message? It was on the PI website.
Have people do just a little so they don't feel overwhelmed and then do nothing.
Four meetings came together to have a fellowship meeting and meal then hold the PI session.
Can we put things out in public yet?
How do we keep it safe?
Would it be better to go broad or do we want to keep it small?
How do we best follow up or outreach to newcomers? Have representatives and greeters do this.
Who is your audience? You can specialize your audience, but mostly we are just trying to get it out to our sphere. Those supporting us in our recovery, and those who have asked us about recovery.

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