Service Group Support Committee Minutes - Sunday, August, 16, 2020
3:30pm – 5:00pm ET
Serenity Prayer
Attendance
Abi W., Amherst, MA; Aieda D., Walled Lake, MI; Akia W., Washington, DC; Ana O., San Rafael, CA; Anita F., Sarasota, FL; Annie H., Petaluma, CA; Barb C., Alberta, Canada; Bob F., Dunedin, FL; Carrie L. Kent Island, MD; Debra B., Houston, TX; Deme S., Lafayette, CA; Eric M., South Hadley, MA; Golda H., Israel;
Helen R., New York, NY; Jackie W., Washington, D.C.; James P., Castro Valley, CA; Kathleen C., Martinez, CA; Kathryn Katrina, Dallas, Texas; Ketura, Washington D.C.; Lenell A., El Dorado Hills, CA; Linda C., Toronto, Ontario Canada; Lisa B., Oakland, CA; Marcia, W. Grand Rapids, MI; Margaret L., New Zealand; Mary Lou R., New York, NY; Nancy C., Toronto, Ontario Canada; Nancy M., Toronto, Ontario Canada; Pam K., Kelowna, BC Canada; Rod B., Melbourne Australia; Roslyn H., Fernandina Beach, FL; Ruth B., Centerville, UT; Sheryn N., Santa Clarita CA; Shirley H., Woolwich, ME; Stacy T., San Francisco CA; Susan; Vicki R., Sacramento, CA
Members of the SGSC Core introduced themselves and their roles.
Public Information and Local Service Groups Working Together
Annie L., WSI PI committee chair, shared a new PI position job description. The document should be listed on the FA website within a week. The job description was updated in response to feedback that the service position seemed daunting. The expectation is that people will be able to do different levels of service when they are in the service position for multiple years. The document provides simplified links to resources available for PI reps.
The PI announcements include making announcements related to initiatives by the local service groups.
Primary responsibilities are initiatives that PI reps can do on their own; the other helpful ideas and resources are ideas that need a team across meetings or with a group within a meeting.
Suggestion: list potential activities in the order of priority.
PI reps are meant to hand out brochures for the health care provider once a month and ask for anyone who is going to see a doctor that month.
Question: Can we update the Web & Directory Contact to say Meeting Contact? Answer: Good catch! Yes.
Question: In Document 7, there is only room for one PI rep, but on the website there’s room to put in two PI reps. Can that be updated?
Answer: Yes.
Some of the activities can scale based on the size of the area (ex. one PI rep could sponsor one brochure rack or an area could coordinate sponsoring a bunch of brochure racks).
EAI provides trifolds as a part of their service. Those who are interested can email eaipi@foodaddicts.org.
Question: How do we do these things in the current environment, while meetings aren’t live and while we can’t sponsor racks in the same way?
Answer: it is hard to answer broadly because recommendations are different in different areas. It’s important to keep the digital divide in mind – not everyone has a laptop or a smartphone to access technology. A rack might go in a laundromat or somewhere that offers an essential service. Some conferences might be going virtual with virtual exhibitors. The digital newcomer packet can be helpful.
Question: How do we protect anonymity with a virtual conference?
Answer: There was a traditions question around this with participating in a virtual classroom, and anonymity will be protected in the same way.
Question: What about information sessions? How do we stay anonymous in a situation like that?
Answer: Right now, we are keeping things as simple as possible. We are moving slowly. AA says let’s not let the speed of the internet dictate the speed of our decisions.
Some meetings in ME are doing media announcements, introducing FA and saying that some meetings are gathering online and by phone with the general number that people can call. They also direct people to go to foodaddicts.org and click New to FA, which brings them to the digital newcomer packet.
Question: What media outlets are being used?
Answer: The media outlets are print media. This is a little pricey but it is an initiative the ME Chapter took on at once a week for four weeks.
PI has been working to screen the mp3 files for migration to podcast form, to make them more accessible.
If you are ordering bulk literature and email the office, they will pay for a portion or all of your shipping cost. This is especially helpful for international ordering.
An important concept is that of a multiplier – a doctor or journalist can spread the message to many people who may be interested in FA.
For any PI-related questions, email pi@foodaddicts.org.
Upcoming: a video for health care professionals is in the works. It may be some time before it’s complete, but that is coming.
Question: Michigan was going to have a fellowship day, are any of the states doing anything like a fellowship day virtually? If so, how are you doing it?
LSG Reporting
Mary Lou from New York, NY – during the pandemic she has been volunteering at the bariatric support group once a month and sharing about going to meetings that help with food obsession.
Linda C. from Toronto, Canada – with the gatherings they have some fellows joining from outside the area who are newcomers. How are we getting the FA book and other literature to them?
Answer: The FA website has every pamphlet for free, and the FA book is available in eBook format (for Kindle and iBook) and in audiobook format on Audible.