Starting an OA meeting in your area is easy.
The World Service Office is here to support you in your efforts to carry the message of hope and recovery. This form of service will add to your own program of recovery! All you need is a desire to stop eating compulsively and the willingness to start the meeting.
Order the “Starter Kit,” item #730 at US$20 (plus shipping and handling).
The kit contains materials designed to help your meeting get off to a strong and organized start. It includes Where Do I Start?, the Suggested Meeting Format, and a selection of our pamphlets. Please note that your local service body may offer these materials at a lower cost.
Purchase the OA Handbook for Members, Groups, and Service Bodies, item #120 at $13 (plus shipping and handling).
The OA Handbook is a valuable resource filled with ideas to help you share information about your meeting within your community and to guide your group as it grows. The Handbook is also available in e‑book format.
Translated Resources for Non-English Speakers
For non‑English speakers, the World Service Office provides a variety of digital resources in multiple languages. To view the available materials, please refer to the Digital Files in Translation list and the “ONLINE” format documents in the Document Library. Contact the World Service Office to request translated files.
Find a meeting space.
Be sure to explore churches, community centers, schools, libraries, and hospitals as potential meeting locations. Each group should be self‑supporting, so if the facility you select does not charge rent, your group may wish to consider making a voluntary contribution.
For virtual meetings, numerous audio and video conferencing platforms offer free or low‑cost options, making it easy to host and participate in virtual meetings.
Submit the New Group Registration/Change form to the World Service Office.
We encourage you to complete this step as soon as your meeting begins so it can be added to our Find a Meeting database. This ensures that individuals searching for a meeting in your area are able to locate you quickly and easily.
Please remember to notify the World Service Office of any changes related to your meeting. A contact name (first name only) and phone number are essential, as they provide newcomers and traveling members with a way to obtain additional information. Every meeting must have a designated contact person and phone number.
If no one in your group is willing to serve as the contact, you may instead list the name and phone number of your intergroup or service board, should your meeting choose to affiliate with one.
We strongly suggest that your group affiliate with an intergroup or national service board.
An intergroup or national service board is composed of several groups within a geographic area or a virtual community. Its purpose is to serve and represent those groups while safeguarding the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts of OA Service. Affiliation provides your group with access to this support network.
As your meeting grows, your group will eventually need an intergroup or national service board representative who can attend board meetings and participate actively in the OA community in your area. During the early stages of your group’s development, the intergroup or national service board can be an important source of guidance and encouragement.
If you need help locating an intergroup or national service board, please contact the World Service Office for assistance.
Check out other meetings!
If there are no OA meetings in your area and you are not yet very familiar with OA, you may want to consider taking a “field trip” with other potential members to visit more established meetings outside your community. Traveling together can be enjoyable, uplifting, and beneficial to your recovery, and it offers a valuable opportunity to experience how other groups function.
These visits are also helpful to the groups you meet. Once your own meeting is established, they may choose to return the favor by attending and supporting your group as it begins to grow.
Get the word out!
A helpful next step is to review the Public Information and Professional Outreach Service Manual. This resource focuses on carrying the message within your community and includes many practical suggestions and examples. It is listed as item #765 and is available for US $20.