Media Category: Guidelines

Our OA Responsibility Pledge states:

“Always to extend the hand and heart of OA to all who share my compulsion; for this I am responsible.”

Where are the people who were at your first meeting? How many of them are still coming to OA? There are many things that each of us and our groups can do to keep people coming back.  In an effort to extend the hand and heart to those who share our compulsion, we offer the following suggestions for membership retention. 

Overall

• Inclusivity is essential.
• Warmly welcome newcomers.
• Reach out to struggling members.
• Focus primarily on the OA message.
• Remember that service binds us together.

Ideas, Actions, and Resources for Individuals

• Study The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, Second Edition, which strengthens our recovery and keeps us in the solution. 
• Focus on the miracle of physical, emotional, and spiritual recovery. 
• When sharing your experience, strength, and hope, share about your progress in working the Twelve Steps.
• Let go of judgment about another person’s recovery or relapse.
• Let go of expectations for yourself and others.
• Be open to change and new ideas.
• Speak your truth at every level.
• Be an example of recovery. This is a program of attraction, not promotion.
• Encourage people in their recovery and support those who do not “get it” right away.
• Emphasize abstinence from the beginning, making sure that members know that it is NOT okay to binge. 
• Remember that our common solution is found in the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of OA, which help us deal with life. 
• Welcome all who attend meetings, being careful not to form cliques. Put principles before personalities.
• Stick to the message of OA, leaving outside issues at the door.
• Honor everyone’s anonymity, which is the spiritual foundation of our program.
• Welcome newcomers to your meetings. Warmly welcome returning members back.
• Reach out to help a group member in trouble. Remember, relapse is not contagious, but recovery is!
• Work together to reach common goals.
• Encourage sponsorship:
  • Stick to the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.
  • Use the OA Tools of Recovery and OA-approved literature when sponsoring.
  • Share that sponsoring and doing service are rewarding, exciting, and beneficial to your strength and hope.
  • Attend or hold sponsorship workshops to encourage members to not be afraid to sponsor.
• When working with a newcomer or as a temporary sponsor, use the OA pamphlet Where Do I Start? Everything a Newcomer Needs to Know found in the OA bookstore and the sponsorship guide Temporary Sponsors: Newcomers’ First Twelve Days found on oa.org.
• Make outreach calls to people you do not normally call. Reach out with love.
• When newcomers are present, avoid using too much OA jargon, and/or explain the terms, phrases, and references you make to ensure inclusivity.
• Participate in Twelfth Step Within Day on December 12^th by reaching out to someone you have not heard from in a while. Do this every month on the 12^th.
• Avoid overloading yourself with service work; strive for balance. 
• Work with a struggling sponsee or member using OA resources Been Slipping and Sliding? A Reading and Writing Tool and From Slip or Relapse to Recovery, both found in the OA Document Library.
• Use Carrying the Message, found in the Document Library on oa.org, as a guide to what to say and not say when talking to someone about OA for the first time. 
• Keep in mind that staying abstinent is the best service you can do. Discuss the Strong Abstinence Checklist and Writing Exercise, found in the Document Library on oa.org, with your sponsee.

Ideas, Actions, and Resources for Meetings

• Remember that what is said at your meetings, stays in your meetings.
• Remind members not to engage in cross talk during meetings.
• Have volunteers call newcomers to answer any questions they may have. 
• Make meetings and special events fun!
• Have volunteers phone, email, or text members who have not been at the meeting for a while. Build a network of support.
• Use OA-approved literature only. Using outside literature implies OA endorsement.
• Have a good supply of OA-approved literature at in-person meetings.
• Hold newcomer meetings.
• Hold regular group conscience meetings.
• Start and end group meetings on time.
• Meet on holidays. Our disease never takes a holiday!
• Provide service opportunities that have no abstinence requirements at the group level so that everyone can benefit from giving service.
• Rotate service, rather than allowing one person to continually lead or run the meeting.
• Limit sharing time so that all have an opportunity to share. Encourage additional sharing outside the meeting. Problems can be shared one-on-one outside the meeting.
• Social gatherings are welcome before or after the meeting, but during the meeting, focus on the OA program of recovery.
• Ask people to give service.
• In OA, “the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively.” There are no special requirements for members to be able to share.
• Keep it simple. People are more important than rules.
• Celebrate success as often as possible. Coins and medallions are available in the OA bookstore.
• Create a phone chain, whereby the group leader or secretary calls one or two members, who then call one or two other members, and so on, to share information and support during holidays, inclement weather, or at other times. 
• List local meetings in large and small local newspapers.
• Encourage members to post information cards about meetings in grocery stores, libraries, and other public places. (Be sure to get permission where warranted.)
• Send strong speakers to meetings in areas where attendance is declining or there is a lack of abstinence.
• Have your service body sponsor a Service, Traditions, and Concepts Workshop, found in the Document Library on oa.org.
• Encourage your service body to regularly post online and/or distribute a newsletter to keep all groups informed about area events.
• Online meetings may post a link to Where Do I Start? Everything a Newcomer Needs to Know, available on oa.org and in our OA bookstore.
• Support returning members by having copies of the pamphlet Welcome Back: Suggestions for Members in Relapse and Those Who Care, available in the OA bookstore, on hand.
• Participate in group inventories using the OA Group Inventory and Strong Meeting Checklist, both available on oa.org.
• Start and support recovery-from-relapse meetings using the Suggested Recovery-from-Relapse Meeting Formatat oa.org.
• Encourage and support OA Step-study meetings using the Suggested Step-Study Meeting Format at oa.org.
• During a group conscience meeting or as a topic for a discussion meeting, review OA’s Unity with Diversity Checklist found at oa.org.
• Podcasts and recordings on different OA topics can be found on the oa.org Podcasts and Videos page.
• Encourage diversity in OA by promoting specific focus meetings, which can be found on oa.org’s Find a Meeting page. Once on Find a Meeting, click “Additional search options,” then “Specific focus” to find specific focus meetings.

Most of all, do it with love and
KEEP COMING BACK, NO MATTER WHAT!

These suggestions are not intended to be all-inclusive. We can take many other positive actions to encourage members to keep coming back. Share what works and what doesn’t work with your fellow OA members around the world through OA newsletters and blogs at intergroup, region, and world service levels. 

OA is a Fellowship in which thousands of compulsive overeaters find and share recovery. It is a program of attraction and a positive way of living. Together we can recover and together it works when we all keep coming back!

---

OA Board-approved
©1995, 2001, 2015, 2019 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All Rights reserved. Rev. 12/2025.

Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. World Service Office
Location: 6075 Zenith Court NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, USA
Mailing address: PO Box 44727, Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4727, USA
Telephone: +1 505-891-2664

• Purpose of OA events
• Types of events
• Guarding our Traditions
• Committees
• Finances
• Sale of merchandise
• Program and choosing speakers
• Additional suggestions

These guidelines have been developed through the experience of OA members and the Board of Trustees, who have contributed to their creation. They reflect OA Traditions and Concepts of Service as reflected in our OA Conference-approved literature. These guidelines are strong suggestions based on the experience of those who have gone before. The guidelines do not replace the group conscience of local OA members, but we encourage OA groups and service bodies to consider carefully before acting contrary to these suggestions.

Purpose of OA Events

The reason for OA gatherings held outside of group meetings is to provide more recovery opportunities for members. Such get-togethers remind us that we are part of a larger whole, that we are not alone. The focus of such OA events is recovery from compulsive overeating through the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of OA. Many groups and service bodies hold events in conjunction with International Day Experiencing Abstinence (IDEA), Unity Day, Sponsorship Day, or OA’s birthday. Some host only one annual event, while others hold monthly or quarterly events.

Retreats, marathons, and conventions offer the laughter, warmth, understanding, and support of the OA Fellowship. They introduce members to a wider circle of individuals and to the experience, strength, and hope of others who share our disease.

These events can also benefit OA by raising much-needed revenue for OA as a whole. The income helps groups and service bodies to carry the message of recovery to the still-suffering compulsive eater.

Types of Events

All OA events address recovery from compulsive overeating through the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous. Any OA event should not be connected with any outside issues, including religions, politics, therapies, non-OA literature, or other Twelve Step fellowships. The following events are the types most commonly held by OA groups and service bodies, such as intergroups and serviced boards.

Conventions

Most conventions are weekend events that are hosted by a service body rather than a group. They are held in hotels or conference centers that can accommodate the event’s space requirements. The activities are focused on OA recovery and fellowship, meetings, workshops, speaker sessions, and entertainment, such as dances or breaks for relaxation and fun.

Retreats

Retreats are usually held in a quiet location, such as a camp or retreat center. Retreat activities may include speaker sessions, small group discussions, one-on-one sharing, and time for writing and reflection, as well as free time for members to experience fellowship.

Marathons

Marathons are usually one-day events. They consist of back-to-back speaker meetings or workshops with various, scheduled topics, allowing attendees to choose according to their needs. OA’s virtual community provides marathon phone meetings on many holidays.

Fellowship Meals/Banquets

Lunch or dinner meals with an OA speaker provide another way to combine recovery and fellowship. This type of gathering can be held at a local hotel or restaurant where the meals are purchased, or it can be as simple as a gathering where OA members provide the food.

Public Information Meetings

Special public information events are held to raise awareness of Overeaters Anonymous for the public, the professional community, and OA members’ families and friends.

Service, Traditions, and Concepts Workshops

These workshops are usually conducted by members with a thorough understanding of the Twelve Traditions and the Concepts of OA Service. A region trustee and/or regional board members can offer these workshops to intergroups and service boards as part of their service to OA.

Guarding Our Traditions

Use the following guides to observe the Traditions when planning an OA event. Remember to honor “principles before personalities” (Tradition Six).

• An OA event must be sponsored by a registered OA group or service body. An event that is not sponsored by an OA group or service body is considered an outside enterprise, and, as such, may not use the OA name or mailing list (Tradition Six).
• The name “Overeaters Anonymous” and the name of the sponsoring group or service body should appear on all flyers, newsletter articles, registration forms, and other announcements and forms for the event (Tradition Five).
• Only OA members may be invited to act as event and workshop leaders or speakers (Tradition Six).
• Printed materials should not contain endorsements of outside enterprises, such as books, publishers, treatment facilities, professionals in the field of eating disorders, hospitals, and other non-OA entities. This includes any materials or information regarding non-OA enterprises or activities with which the leader or speaker is personally involved. Refrain from printing the names or non-OA titles of speakers and leaders at OA events in all information materials. OA service titles (but not names) may be used when a speaker or leader is performing the service responsibility of their OA office (Traditions Six and Eight and OA Business Conference Policy 1990).
• Ask OA members who work professionally in the field of eating disorders or are members of other Twelve Step programs to speak only about their personal experience as recovering compulsive eaters in Overeaters Anonymous (Tradition Five).
• Reimbursement to a speaker beyond travel, food, and lodging is not appropriate (Tradition Eight).
• Only OA-approved literature should be offered for sale at an OA event. For a list of books and pamphlets, see the OA-Approved Literature List at oa.org/document-library under “Guidelines” or contact the World Service Office (WSO). Locally produced literature should be used with the greatest discretion (Tradition Six).

Committees

An event sponsored by a group or service body is an opportunity to involve many members in Twelfth Step work. The larger the event, the more members needed to share the workload. The following are examples of service needs and opportunities:

Program volunteer	Plans the program and obtains speakers or leaders.
Registration volunteer	Handles preregistration and on-site registration.
Treasurer	Deposits receipts, pays bills incurred by the event, and furnishes detailed accounting of income and expenses when the event is over. Funds may be collected via check or electronic funds transfer (if available to group/service body).
Decorations volunteer	Responsible for signs and decorations.
Public Information volunteer	Sends information about the event to local newspapers, radio and television stations, and nearby groups, unaffiliated groups, and service bodies.
Literature volunteer	Handles OA literature to be sold at the event.
Hospitality volunteer	Provides greeters and arranges for refreshments.
Entertainment volunteer	Arranges for songs, skits, dance music, or other entertainment.

Finances

There are no dues or fees at meetings; however, it is not against the Traditions to charge fees for OA events. Events should be self-supporting to enable groups and service bodies to carry out their primary purpose, as many are held, in part, as fundraisers. Estimating both the total expenses and expected attendance should be part of event planning in order to calculate the suggested registration fee.

Items to consider when estimating expenses are: meeting room rental fees, publicity costs (printing, postage, posters, etc.), programs, name tags, decorations, and other handouts. Speakers’ expenses may include transportation, lodging, and meals. For a single-day event, consider asking a local member to host the speaker if they must stay overnight, which will lower this cost. Estimated expenses divided by estimated attendance will indicate the appropriate amount needed per person to cover costs. A registration fee is then added to that amount if the purpose of the event includes fundraising.

Many events encourage preregistration by charging less for those who register early than those who register at the event. This makes event planning easier and allows for the event’s cancellation if there is an indication that costs will not be covered. Like meetings, all OA events should be self-supporting. Collecting a Seventh Tradition at the event is another way to increase contributions.

It is customary to turn no one away from an OA event for lack of funds; however, it is not necessary to provide meals and lodging. Event organizers may wish to suggest to those who feel they cannot afford the registration fee to honestly decide how much they can contribute and accept it with no further questions. It is also possible to ask these members to give service at the event in order to practice their Seventh Tradition. Some service bodies set up “scholarship” funds to help those in need.

Good financial practices for OA events may include the following (depending on the size and complexity of the event):

• Set up a separate bank account for OA events.
• Require two signatures for authorization on all expenditures.
• Pay all expenditures and refunds, if any, by check.
• Require receipts for all expenditures.
• Keep a log of all registrations received, recording check or cash information.
• Appoint three knowledgeable OA members to an audit committee to verify the financial report to protect both the treasurer and the sponsoring body.
• Issue a financial report itemizing income, expenses, and net profit or loss soon after the event. The income section should detail the number of people who registered and the amount received. Receipts and expenditures for items should be separated by category, such as literature, refreshments, fundraising, etc.

Sale of Merchandise

The following statement was adopted by the delegates at the 1984 World Service Business Conference (amended 2014): “It is the will of the Business Conference that sale of merchandise, per se, is not prohibited by the Traditions. With regard to sale of merchandise, ‘Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or OA as a whole.’ If you choose to sell merchandise, the following guidelines are suggested:

1. All sales be made by and for OA service bodies.
2. Each sale item be approved by group conscience.
3. Sales at OA events and functions should be conducted in such a manner so as not to divert or distract from our primary purpose to carry the message to the compulsive overeater who still suffers.

In accordance with our Traditions, each group and service body may choose to sell or not sell merchandise as they determine. Overeaters Anonymous must be ever mindful of our Traditions, which warn against endorsement of outside enterprises.”

Program and Choosing Speakers

Recovery events are centered on a theme that is related to the OA Twelve Step program. Topic ideas may be taken from OA-approved literature. Only OA members may be invited to act as event and workshop leaders and speakers.

Some event planners invite a guest speaker, while others rely solely on members attending the event. The sponsoring group or service body determines the eligibility requirements for leaders and speakers. Most events have abstinence requirements for lead speakers but encourage all attending to share if that is a part of the event agenda. Groups and service bodies are encouraged to dialogue with potential and selected speakers to ensure both that there is a mutual understanding of expectations and requirements of the materials they will present when sharing their recovery with the OA audience and that they will conduct themselves fully within the Twelve Traditions of OA. Presenters and members serving at events are encouraged to be living examples of recovery, showing evidence of physical, emotional, and spiritual recovery.

We suggest that the following OA Speaker Statement be read at all OA events:

“OA speakers do not represent OA as a whole, but speak from their own experience, strength, and hope. OA recognizes there are individual approaches and different concepts of working the Twelve Step program of recovery. We all are reminded that our common disease and our common purpose unite us; differences in approaches to recovery need not divide us. OA is strengthened when we honor and respect all by practicing unity with diversity.”

Unfortunately, some speakers promote outside enterprises, such as eating disorder centers and counseling services; sell their own literature and tapes; or require signed contracts, use of outside services, or other actions that raise concerns. One way to verify a speaker’s respect for the OA Traditions is to seek a recommendation from another OA group or service body for which the individual has spoken. Another method is to ask the potential speaker for a copy of a recording from a previous event where the speaker has shared.

Additional Suggestions

• Contact other groups, service bodies, the region trustee, or the World Service Office with questions or for assistance. They may have more detailed information on how to plan for events.
• Keep it simple.
• Consider handicapped access and the comfort of attendees.
• Schedule plenty of breaks and time for sharing.
• Plan ahead. Include a variety of topics to accommodate all attendees.
• Avoid scheduling on holidays, either national or religious, unless that is the purpose of the event (e.g. some groups and service bodies choose to hold events on holidays where large meals tend to be part of the celebratory aspect of the day). Check with nearby intergroups and service boards (as well as region and the WSO) that may be planning an event on or around the same date. This may hurt attendance at both events.
• Focus on this event, not last year’s or what some other area has done.
• Remember to “let go and let God” and enjoy the event.

OA Responsibility Pledge

Always to extend the hand and heart of OA
to all who share my compulsion;
for this I am responsible

---

OA Board-Approved
©1990, 1996, 2017, 2019 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved. Rev. 10/2025
#570

Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. World Service Office
Location: 6075 Zenith Court NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, USA
Mailing address: PO Box 44727, Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4727, USA
Telephone: +1 505-891-2664

Copyright Procedures and Guidelines for OA-Owned Material (Copyright)

All OA literature, including digital media, is protected under US copyright law, and the copyrights are owned by Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. No one, including OA members, groups, or service bodies, can legally reprint or reproduce digital media or excerpts from OA literature or material without written permission from the World Service Office. (See exceptions below.) All reprinted or reproduced OA-owned material must include an OA copyright credit. See the Reprint Permission Form for additional policies.

To apply for reprint permission, use this form:

• Reprint Permission Form

Allow 10 working days for approval. You will receive the form back from the World Service Office affixed with the managing director’s signature, indicating permission has been granted.

Procedures and Guidelines for OA Trademarks (Logos)

OA, Inc. owns the trademarks for the names “Overeaters Anonymous” and “OA”, the logo art, and the logotype. To use an OA trademark, your group’s registration number or service body’s registered name must be printed directly below the trademark to distinguish it from material originating from world service. It is essential the registration mark ® appears with OA’s trademarks. Any registered OA service body may apply for blanket permission. It is the responsibility of the service body to renew its trademark-use permission after the expiration date. See the Logo Request Form for additional policies.

To apply for trademark-use permission, use this form:

• Logo Request Form
• Logo Request Form (editable DOCX version)

Allow ten working days for approval. You will receive the form back from the World Service Office affixed with the managing director’s signature, indicating permission has been granted.

Items not needing written permission

All registered OA groups and service bodies have permission to reprint or translate and reprint any OA print material currently on the OA website (downloadable PDF files or text) without having to submit a written request to the World Service Office. The materials listed below may also be reprinted or translated and reprinted without written permission. Reprinted items must be used in a manner consistent with OA’s mission of carrying our message of recovery to those suffering from compulsive eating and compulsive eating behaviors.

When reprinting OA website material, use one of these copyright credits:

• When reprinting English-language OA material, cite the source and include the following: “[Source] © Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.”
• When reprinting translated OA material cite the source and include the following in the language of the translation: “This is a translation of OA-approved [source]. © [date of translation] Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.”

Registered OA groups and service bodies may also reprint these items without written permission:

• The Twelve Steps of OA
• The Twelve Traditions of OA
• The Twelve Concepts of OA Service
• The OA Preamble
• The OA Promise (I Put My Hand in Yours)
• The Responsibility Pledge
• Fifteen Questions
• About OA (flyer)
• “Welcome Home” from Taste of Lifeline, pp. xiii-xvi
• Articles posted on A Step Ahead News
• The Professional Community Courier
• The WSO News Bulletin
• Preview images automatically generated by social media platforms when a uniform resource locator (URL) from an OA website is shared in a social media post
• Image-based digital content that OA has designated for public information and professional outreach (PIPO) use
• Image based content that has been clearly marked as having been created by an OA member
• Many well-known slogans and sayings (such as “one day at a time,” “easy does it” and the Serenity Prayer) require no approval.

When reprinting free downloaded material from the OA website, remember these documents are updated often. If your group or service body posts or distributes a free download, we encourage you to check oa.org regularly for updated material.

Translation Permission

All registered OA groups and service bodies have permission to translate and reprint any OA document or text currently on the OA website. Permission includes the right to distribute automatically translated material and the right to correct errors in automatic translations. Translation corrections should be as close as possible to the meaning of the original English text, with nothing added or omitted.

• Translated materials must include this statement in the language of the translation: “This is a translation of OA-approved literature. © Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.”

To translate OA documents with significant graphic design, see Free Licensed Images, Translation, and Graphic Design Platform for Intergroups and Service Boards Registered as Nonprofits/Charities.

Groups and service bodies that translate OA literature and material are required to provide a digital copy of the published translation to the World Service Office. The digital copy can be in PDF or text format and should include the English-language name of the translated material, the language of translation, and the group’s or service body’s name and registration number.

Lifeline Content Not Needing Written Permission

Registered OA groups and service bodies may also reprint or translate and reprint Lifeline recovery content (member-submitted articles and images) without written permission under these terms:

• The reprinted content is from a past edition of print Lifeline or currently posted on Lifeline: Stories of Recovery (lifeline.oa.org and oalifeline.org).
• The reprinted content is for limited personal and/or group use. Specifically:
  • The reprinted is used for personal recovery, for sponsor/sponsee discussion, or as the focus of an OA meeting.
  • Reprinted recovery content shared on screen during an OA videoconference meeting is removed from the videoconference at the end of the meeting. (See Sharing OA-Copyright Material Electronically: A letter from the OA Board of Trustees to the Fellowship.)
  • Reprinted recovery content cannot be printed in full on online platforms. To share online, use the direct uniform resource locator (URL) to the recovery content or the respective “share” button on the recovery content’s page. The online platform may automatically generate a preview image of the content, which is allowed.
  • Reprints of image-based content (photographs and illustrations) from print and online Lifeline clearly marked as member created can be shared. Images not clearly marked cannot be reprinted unless automatically generated by the above-stated “preview” feature.
• The reprinted article must be used in a manner consistent with OA’s mission of carrying our message of recovery to those suffering from compulsive eating and compulsive eating behaviors.
• Lifeline recovery content cannot be revised, recombined, or sold.
• Articles included in OA compilations of Lifeline articles, including but not limited to Taste of Lifeline and Lifeline Sampler, must receive written permission. To apply for reprint permission, use the Reprint Permission Form.
• Reprinted Lifeline recovery content must cite the source (Lifeline) and include the Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. copyright.
  • For reprints from print Lifeline, use this copyright format: Lifeline [issue month and year], © Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.
  • For reprints from online Lifeline, use this copyright format: Lifeline: Stories of Recovery, [year] © Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.

Audio Recordings

Registered groups and service bodies wishing to create a lending library of digital media may request permission to duplicate a CD or digital file using the reprint request procedures above. Approval will allow the group/service body to keep one master recording and one copy to lend to members. Recordings sold by the World Service Office or its designated vendor, including recordings created at World Service Business Conference and World Service Convention or sold via the OA bookstore, whether on CD or in other formats, may not be duplicated and distributed via website or other media, except in the case of radio and television public service announcements, which may be duplicated without written permission for public information purposes.

Guidelines for Using Non-OA-Owned Material and Trademarks

Copyright and trademark laws apply to all forms of media, including print, promotional materials, digital content, and social media. Using content without written permission constitutes an “infringement”—the unauthorized use of someone else’s work, violating their copyright or trademark rights. For guidance on complying with intellectual property laws and preventing infringement, see Guidelines for Using Copyrighted Material and Trademarks.

OA Responsibility Pledge

Always to extend the hand and heart of OA
to all who share my compulsion;
for this I am responsible.

© 2021, 2025 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.

Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. World Service Office
Location: 6075 Zenith Court NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, USA
Mailing address: PO Box 44727, Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4727, USA
Telephone: +1 505-891-2664

OA Responsibility Pledge

Always to extend the hand and heart of OA
to all who share my compulsion;
for this I am responsible

---

OA Board-approved
© 2025 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved

Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. World Service Office
Location: 6075 Zenith Court NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, USA
Mailing address: PO Box 44727, Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4727, USA
Telephone: +1 505-891-2664

Tradition Seven: Every OA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

Thank you for agreeing to serve as the treasurer for your group/service body. The role of treasurer in Overeaters Anonymous (OA) has the important responsibility of ensuring the financial health and sustainability of the group/service body. As treasurer, you help manage your group’s/service body’s funds responsibly and transparently, in alignment with OA’s Traditions.

Depending on the size and type of your group/service body, your specific tasks may include collecting and tracking contributions, paying expenses, reporting to members, and passing surplus funds on to the broader OA community in alignment with group conscience.

By fulfilling the role of treasurer, you help ensure OA can continue to carry the message of recovery to those who need it while maintaining the integrity and financial stability of the Fellowship.

Overeaters Anonymous has established these general guidelines for treasurers, and we also encourage your group/service body to develop its own specific guidelines that best suit its exact needs.

Qualifications

Each group or service body (intergroup, service board, region) is autonomous and should determine its specific qualifications for the position of treasurer. As this role involves managing the group’s/service body’s funds, it is essential to establish clear guidelines.

It is recommended the following minimum requirements be included:

• Abstinence: at least one year of current abstinence as defined by OA
• Steps: completion of the Twelve Steps with a sponsor at least once
• Accountability: actively working with a sponsor and sponsoring at least one individual

Skills

No formal education, degree, or occupation is required to serve as treasurer. The most essential qualities are willingness and honesty.

While experience is not necessary, familiarity with or a willingness to learn and use technology for communication and recordkeeping is important. Each type of service body may have different requirements, so we recommend serving as group treasurer before progressing to intergroup/service board or region treasurer. Each role prepares you for the responsibilities of the next.

Core Responsibilities

The group/service body treasurer typically has six primary areas of responsibility: collecting, recording, budgeting, reporting, distributing, and complying with governmental regulations.

1. Collecting: Gather funds from various sources and deposit them into the group’s/service body’s accounts.
2. Recording: Keep simple, clear, and accurate records of funds collected and spent.
3. Budgeting: Create a financial plan that allows the group/service body to effectively manage its funds. Ensure income and expenses are balanced and well-organized.
4. Reporting: Present financial data in a clear and transparent way to keep the Fellowship and relevant outside authorities informed. For instance, many treasurers share spreadsheets with the group’s/service body’s members showing income and expense details.
5. Distributing: Periodically ensure surplus (excess) funds are passed on to relevant service bodies (intergroup, service board, and region) and the world service general fund, as determined by the group conscience, to support carrying the OA message.
6. Complying: File necessary reports in compliance with governmental regulations and the type of business entity your group/service body is established as.

1. Collecting Tasks

Cash/Checks

Face-to-Face Groups

The treasurer collects and counts cash contributions at the end of the meeting and then takes the money home in trust for the group. The funds should be securely stored until they are deposited.

Service Bodies

The treasurer collects mailed-in contributions, which may include checks or other forms of contributions sent by members or groups. The funds should be securely stored until they are deposited.

Electronic Funds

Face-to-Face and/or Virtual Groups and Service Bodies

• Establishing or maintaining electronic/digital accounts: As treasurer, you may establish or maintain payment accounts through digital payment processing platforms. These platforms provide digital options for Seventh Tradition contributions and have grown in popularity. Verify which platforms your bank works with, understand any associated fees, and review the platforms’ privacy terms.
• Using a QR code: Using a QR code that links to your group/service body’s digital payment processor platform can mirror traditional basket-passing opportunities for virtual participants. In-person meetings may include a printed QR code inside the actual basket for those who prefer to operate without cash.
• Managing transfers: Log in to digital payment processor platforms to transfer the funds into the group’s/service body’s bank accounts according to the agreed-upon schedule (weekly, monthly, etc.).

2. Recording Tasks

Face-to-Face Groups

• Create a treasurer’s binder: Include the group’s agreed-upon treasurer duties.
• Prepare a cash bag: Use this for contributions during in-person meetings.
• Maintain contribution logs: Record the date and total amount of contributions received.
• Keep proceeds from literature sales separate: Maintain a dedicated log to ensure replenishment as needed.

Note regarding sales tax: The OA bookstore does not charge sales tax on literature. Check with your local taxing authority about whether you are required to collect, report, and pay sales tax on literature sales.

Virtual Groups

• Determine payment methods: Decide how members will contribute financially and communicate this clearly at every meeting.
• Establish recording processes: Regularly document funds received and ensure they are transferred into the group’s agreed-upon account.
• For digital payment processing accounts: It is essential to download transaction records of contributions. These records simplify the process of keeping accurate financial records and aid in proper documentation and reporting.

Note regarding privacy: Many financial-management services include contributors’ private data in transaction records. Avoid downloading or storing personal information in the treasurer’s records and delete all unnecessary information to avoid privacy and anonymity concerns should the group’s files ever be breached.

Note regarding bank accounts: Groups often entrust treasurers to use their personal bank account to receive and disperse funds electronically. Alternatively, members can contribute directly to their service bodies (intergroup, service boards, and/or region) and the world service general fund. This agreement between the group and treasurer relies on our Concept of trusted servants (Concept Nine). To maintain integrity, the treasurer commits to the group to:

• ensure transparency, regular reporting, and rotation of service,
• maintain a clear, detailed record of contributions and payments, and
• discuss and document the group’s expectations for handling funds.

Service Bodies

• Establish and maintain bank accounts: Open banking accounts as needed. Consider holding prudent reserve funds separately in government-insured funds (e.g., in the United States, accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, known as FDIC) or equivalent interest-bearing accounts.
• Set up digital-payment processing accounts: Ensure access to digital-payment service platforms and implement safeguards to protect assets.
• Document expense processes:
  • Require an approval chain for larger amounts.
  • Prohibit treasurers from signing payments to themselves; use an alternate signer.
  • Consider dual signature options and confirm availability with your financial institution.
• Schedule audits: Base the audit frequency on the number of transactions and service body’s needs.

Face-to-Face and/or Virtual Groups and Service Bodies

Treasurer best practices include:

• Pay expenses promptly.
• Deposit funds in a timely manner.
• Reconcile bank statements with receipts and checkbooks monthly.
• Update the bank signature card when necessary.
• Check local requirements: changes to an account due to rotation of service often require formal minutes from a board meeting to document the request.
• Create and maintain expense forms with appropriate approvals prior to disbursement.
• Collect Seventh Tradition contributions during group/service body meetings.
• Maintain a secure list of passwords and consider using a password vault for all financial accounts; share the list with the group secretary or service body chair or cochair.

3. Budgeting Tasks

Expenses

While each group/service body is autonomous, it is important to know what Seventh Tradition contributions are typically used for.

Face-to-Face and/or Virtual Groups

Typical expenses include (but are not limited to):

• meeting space use, including rent, utilities, supplies, repairs, and furniture;
• necessary equipment and platform fees for hosting virtual meetings;
• literature purchased for use in meetings and/or for public and professional outreach;
• retreat, workshop, OA celebrations, and event costs; and
• newsletter and meeting list expenses.

Service Bodies

Typical expenses include (but are not limited to):

• administrative fees, such as post office box rental or postage expenses,
• phone and/or voice messaging services,
• computer software and hardware,
• travel expenses for World Service Business Conference delegates and region representatives,
• website setup and maintenance,
• applicable governmental business licenses and taxes, and
• various types of insurance.

Budget

The treasurer often has the budgeting responsibilities listed below.

Face-to-Face and/or Virtual Groups

• Budgeting responsibilities will likely be minimal. However, ensure you are aware of any virtual accounts and all group expenses, such as rent, supplies, literature, and platform fees.
• If your group has a financial need and raising funds within the membership is insufficient, consult your intergroup/service board to explore available funding options.
• Maintain a prudent reserve of two to six months’ expenses, based on what is needed to keep the meeting open.

 Service Bodies

• You will likely serve as the cochair of the budget and/or finance committee.
• Request annual budget proposals from committee chairs and board members using the Budget Guidelines for Service Bodies on oa.org.
• Develop an annual budget and present it to your service body for approval.
• Maintain a prudent reserve of two to six months’ expenses and assess the reserve annually based on expenses and anticipated needs.
• Explore ways to reduce service body expenses and increase available funds through fundraising activities.
• Contact the World Service Office to find out what funds may be available for special projects, such as public information and professional outreach, sending a delegate to World Service Business Conference, and/or translation of OA literature.
• If financial needs exceed what can be raised within your intergroup/service board or region, seek advice from your region or from world service on how to raise additional funds.

4. Reporting Tasks

Face-to-Face and/or Virtual Groups and Service Bodies

• Prepare regular reports that include dates and amounts of contributions and present reports on a consistent schedule.
• Share with the group/service body how their Seventh Tradition contributions are being spent.
• Ensure contributions are reported using the group’s/service body’s registered name and/or number and are never attributed to an individual’s name. This is in line with OA’s principles of having no dues or fees for membership, respecting anonymity, respecting data privacy, and placing principles above personalities.

Service Bodies

• Present periodic reports on Seventh Tradition contributions from affiliated groups at service body meetings to promote transparency and accountability between groups and service bodies.
• Maintain treasury archives and financial records for the appropriate retention period. Ask relevant governmental authorities (local, state/province, national) for specific requirements.
• Submit required financial reporting forms to relevant governmental authorities in a timely manner.
• Oversee regular reviews, such as independent audits, of insurance and financial documents.
• Collaborate with other group/service body treasurers to address monetary matters. Group, intergroup, service board, and region treasurers are encouraged to meet and exchange ideas to share experience and improve practices.

Note regarding rotation of service: When transitioning from one treasurer to another, the outgoing treasurer should assist in training the incoming treasurer to ensure a smooth rotation of service. In addition, the oa.org website offers valuable resources for incoming group/service body treasurers. (See the resource list at the end of these guidelines.)

5. Distributing Tasks

Concept Twelve: The spiritual foundation for OA service ensures … sufficient operating funds, plus an ample reserve, shall be OA’s prudent financial principle.

Groups/service bodies should avoid holding on to surplus (excess) funds unnecessarily. These funds should be distributed according to group conscience.

Surplus Funds

Surplus (excess) funds are defined as the money that remains after expenses are accounted for. Expenses include:

• prudent reserve (Refer to the Fundraising and Prudent Reserve Guidelines for Groups and Service Bodies on oa.org.)
• prepaid registrations (e.g., conventions or workshops)
• outstanding expenses (e.g., unpaid rent)
• sending representatives to assemblies and World Service Business Conference
• planned upcoming projects (e.g., public information and/or professional outreach campaigns)
• general cash flow needs (It is important to account for upcoming expenses before determining surplus. Looking at historical expenses and upcoming bills will help guide you.)

Affiliated Face-to-Face and/or Virtual Groups

After accounting for expenses, treasurers are encouraged to follow the Board of Trustees’ suggested contribution percentages. Decisions regarding the distribution of surplus funds should be confirmed through group conscience. OA’s suggested percentages are:

• 50% to the affiliated intergroup or service board
• 40% to the world service general fund
• 10% to the affiliated region

Unaffiliated Face-to-Face and/or Virtual Groups

If your group is unaffiliated with a specific intergroup/service board, it is still supported by your geographic or virtual region, world service, and the World Service Office. Contribution percentages should be determined by group conscience. For example, if an unaffiliated group receives US$100 in contributions, the balance, after expenses, is split fifty-fifty between the region and world service general fund.

Service Bodies

Some suggested methods for service bodies (intergroup, service board, and region) to distribute funds through group conscience include:

• Percentage-based contributions: Service bodies may allocate an agreed-upon percentage (e.g., 10% of gross revenues) to the world service general fund quarterly or annually.
• Fixed contributions: Service bodies may commit to contributing a specific amount to the world service general fund quarterly or annually. After the budget year closes, determine if your service body has surplus funds (funds beyond what’s needed for expenses and a prudent reserve). Send surplus funds to the world service general fund to support carrying the OA message worldwide.
• Additional service board contributions: Language, national, and specific-focus service boards may also contribute to the world service general fund and the service body they are affiliated with.

Note regarding an alternative contribution structure: Some service bodies choose to make contributions before covering expenses. The percent the service body allocates is determined by group conscience. For example, if an intergroup/service board receives US$100 in contributions, it first allocates 10% (US$10) to be split between its region and world service.

All service bodies should communicate effective methods for contributions.

• Provide guidelines on your service body’s website for sending Seventh Tradition contributions.
• Remind affiliated groups/service bodies to always include their registered number and/or name with every contribution.
• Advise affiliated groups that their treasurer can send contributions via check, money order, or electronically using their digital payment platform (e.g. Venmo, PayPal, etc.).

Note regarding OA’s QR code for contributions: OA has created a QR code groups and service bodies can use to make Seventh Tradition contributions easier and faster. Find OA’s QR code at oa.org/contribute.

6. Complying Tasks

Face-to-Face and/or Virtual Groups and Service Bodies

To ensure compliance with governmental guidelines, determine the type of entity your service body operates as.

• Groups are often covered under the umbrella of their affiliated intergroup/service board.
• Service bodies may be structured to comply with specific governmental requirements, such as nonprofit corporation, corporation, or other available entities.

Each state, province, country, and/or municipality may have specific reporting requirements. Seek guidance from local accounting professionals or small business organizations (e.g., in the United States, the Small Business Administration) for accurate information.

Service Bodies

• Familiarize yourself with governmental requirements applicable to your service body’s determined business entity. Seek the guidance of a licensed tax professional if you are unsure.
• Comply with applicable governmental requirements. Prepare and file all required country, state, and/or municipality reports. Requirements will vary based on your geographic location.
• Review historical records for guidance or contact the appropriate government department for assistance.

Tips for Treasurers

“Together we get better” applies to service positions too! If you are uncertain or need guidance with treasurer responsibilities, there are many resources, including:

• Past treasurer(s): Ask fellows who have served in this capacity, as they are often the best source for advice on handling your service position.
• Peers: Connect with others currently serving in a similar role or with similar responsibilities (e.g., group-treasurer-to-group-treasurer).
• Intergroup/service board treasurer: Seek insight from an experienced fellow acting as treasurer at this service level.
• Region treasurer: Use your region’s website to contact the fellow serving as treasurer for your region.
• Additional resourcesare available on oa.org. See resource list below.

Most important, reach out for help!

Note regarding these guidelines: Thank you for your willingness to serve. These guidelines are intended to provide clarity, confidence, and support as you manage your group’s/service body’s finances. These guidelines are in no way intended to be fully comprehensive, nor should they be construed as requirements for service or as a substitute for professional advice.

Additional resources are available on oa.org:

• Budget Guidelines for Service Bodies
• Fundraising and Prudent Reserve Guidelines for Groups and Service Bodies
• FAQ for OA Group, Intergroup, and Service Board Treasurers
• Sample Monthly Treasurer’s Report
• Seventh Tradition pamphlet
• Seventh Tradition Cycle: Giving and Receiving

---

OA Board-Approved
© 2010, 2018, 2025 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.
#570

Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. World Service Office
Location: 6075 Zenith Court NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, USA
Mailing address: PO Box 44727, Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4727, USA
Telephone: +1 505-891-2664

Each group may modify these guidelines to better suit its meeting’s needs. Use these suggestions before or after a regular OA meeting or during an OA meeting if the newcomer would like to move to a separate room for a short informational meeting.

Purpose

Provide a warm welcome to newcomers. Give them hope and a place where they know they are accepted and understood. Provide enough information to prepare newcomers for a regular OA meeting. Let them ask questions.

Focus on the Newcomer

The meeting is informal, and questions from newcomers are encouraged at any time, even while the leader or speaker is talking. Allow newcomers to share about how they found OA, why they are here, and their history with food. Ask if they took the quiz on oa.org.

Leader Duties

• Open the meeting and explain the purpose of this meeting.
• Introduce yourself as the leader of the meeting and ask everyone to introduce themselves by their first name.
• Provide a local meeting list or explain how newcomers can find other local and virtual meetings on Find a Meeting at oa.org.
• Provide a copy of the pamphlet Where Do I Start? Everything a Newcomer Needs to Know or explain how to download the free PDF from the Document Library at oa.org.
• Invite members to provide newcomers with contact information. Invite newcomers to do the same.
• Optional: Read “Welcome Home” from the book A Taste of Lifeline. [Abridged version on oa.org.]

Speaker Duties

• Speak for five to ten minutes, focusing on your experience, strength, and hope, as well as information that was helpful to you when you were a newcomer.
• Encourage and accept questions at any time during your share.

Suggested Topics of Discussion

Twelve Step Program

Ask if newcomers are familiar with Twelve Step programs, and tailor your remarks accordingly. Explain that OA is a Twelve Step program patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous.

Anonymity

Assure newcomers that their anonymity will be respected, and their participation and sharing will be held in confidence.

Tradition Three

Emphasize that “The only requirement for OA membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively.”

Disease

Explain that compulsive eating is a disease. We are not immoral, weak-willed, bad, or unlovable; and we are not alone. OA welcomes all who struggle with food—overeaters, under-eaters, food addicts, anorexics, bulimics, binge eaters, overexercisers, and those with other compulsive food behaviors.

Our common problem (and solution) is threefold: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

The disease is progressive in nature, characterized by an obsession of the mind and compulsive behaviors.

We have found that compulsive eating cannot be controlled by willpower, but can be arrested, one day at a time. Our “prescription” for recovery is abstinence and working the Twelve Steps.

Abstinence and Recovery

In OA, abstinence is the action of refraining from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors while working towards or maintaining a healthy body weight. Spiritual, emotional, and physical recovery is the result of living and working the Overeaters Anonymous Twelve Step program on a daily basis.

OA is not a diet and calories club.

OA members have different plans of eating and different binge foods. OA does not endorse any particular plan of eating. The Where Do I Start? pamphlet or online document does provide some sample plans of eating, and we encourage you to seek guidance from your health care professional.

We have found freedom from food obsession by working the Twelve Steps and living by their Spiritual Principles.

The OA Tools of Recovery help us work the Steps and refrain from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors. The nine Tools are: a plan of eating, sponsorship, meetings, telephone, writing, literature, an action plan, anonymity, and service.

Primary Purpose

Our primary purpose is to abstain from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors and to carry the message of recovery through the Twelve Steps to those who still suffer.

Sponsorship

Explain the importance of getting a sponsor, how to find one, and the action of working the Twelve Steps with a sponsor.

Spiritual, Not Religious

The OA program of recovery is a spiritual program, not a religious one. We believe in a Higher Power to help guide our recovery.

• It is important to be open-minded, teachable, and willing to follow the OA program of recovery to the best of our ability.
• Members have a range of spiritual beliefs; some members are atheists or agnostic.

What to Expect at an OA Meeting

• Explain what cross talk during a meeting is and why it is discouraged.
• Explain what the Twelve Traditions are and why they are important. Explain what the Seventh Tradition is, and how we are self-supporting through our own contributions.
• Explain that the opinions expressed here today are those of individual OA members and do not represent OA as a whole.
• Explain the different types of OA-approved literature and how to purchase them.
• Explain that we only use OA-approved literature during our meetings.

Closing

Say, “Will those who wish, please join me in the Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

OA Responsibility Pledge

Always to extend the hand and heart of OA
to all who share my compulsion;
for this I am responsible.

---

 OA-board approved
© 2023 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.

Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. World Service Office
Location: 6075 Zenith Court NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, USA
Mailing address: PO Box 44727, Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4727, USA
Telephone: +1 505-891-2664

Imagine this: You are still suffering from compulsive eating or compulsive food behaviors and you’re desperately searching online for a solution. How great would it be if an OA story of recovery popped up as your first search result?

This is the inspiration behind Lifeline: Stories of Recovery at lifeline.oa.org, where we can broadcast our experience, strength, and hope—both to attract newcomers to the Fellowship and inspire OA members as they work their programs of recovery. By giving service to Lifeline, you will not only provide your share to OA members but also improve OA’s ability to attract newcomers online.

Our Requirements

1. Are you an OA member who is abstinent and working your program?
2. Are you willing to give service by creating an original work focused on your personal recovery through the Twelve Steps of OA?
3. Are you willing to give OA legal rights to use your original work so that we may edit your story and share it on the internet?

If you said yes, then we’d love for you to send us your story!

What We Publish

Put simply, we accept any original work that demonstrates personal recovery and abstinence from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors as the result of working the Twelve Steps of OA. Your work can be:

• Writing, including poetry
• Recorded audio or video
• Photography, illustration, or animation

For written works that are not poetry, we prefer at least three hundred words. Works that are 1,500 to 2,000 words are ideal, and longer pieces are welcome.

For audio and video, three to seven minutes is a good rule of thumb, but your piece is welcome regardless of length.

If you submit a photograph or illustration, we recommend you include some written or recorded commentary to better relate the image to your OA recovery.

To submit your work, go to lifeline.oa.org and use the online form.

Non-English Submission

Our primary purpose is to carry the message, no matter the language, but just as we do with English-language submissions, we must ensure the OA message is clear and correct in every language. Therefore, all non-English submissions must first be reviewed and approved by a registered OA service body, such as a national or language service board, that can support a Traditions review and edit your submission for grammar and style in your language. If your Lifeline work is not in English, we encourage you to contact the primary service body for your language and ask for a Lifeline review. If no review committee exists, maybe you can help get one started!

Suggestions for Creating Your Share

As you create your share for Lifeline, think about someone who is still suffering and is just like you were before you found OA. What parts of your story are important for them to hear? If that person were searching online for a solution to their problem, what words or phrases might they use that are also a part of your story? There will be plenty of space to focus on the solution, so be sure to include enough of the problem in your share so that this newcomer might find your story online and identify. Include descriptions of your physical, emotional, and spiritual states before you found OA.

Describe what happened after you found OA. What important or memorable things do you want to say about your journey of working the Twelve Steps of OA to find abstinence and recovery? What was it like to change physically, emotionally, and spiritually?

How has OA changed your life? What is it like now to be abstinent and living in recovery? Share how long you’ve been abstinent and whether you are maintaining or working toward a healthy body weight. Share your joy of recovery!

Sharing as Service

Lifeline also welcomes shares that give service to the Fellowship. By examining or celebrating aspects of your personal journey through the Twelve Steps and how you have experienced your gifts of abstinence and recovery, you can give service to OA members in any of these suggested ways:

• Observations about how these aspects of program have related to your recovery:
  • Twelve Steps
  • Twelve Traditions
  • Nine Tools of Recovery
  • Forty-two Spiritual Principles
  • Twelve Concepts of OA Service
• Shares that give your Twelfth Step Within, providing hope to those in our Fellowship who are still suffering
• Relating your positive OA experiences in a lively, colorful, or humorous way
• Addressing your difficult OA experiences in a constructive, nonjudgmental, and nonpreaching manner
• Describing how your OA program has helped you resolve a conflict, improved your self-esteem, or made your life manageable
• Sharing your experience and questions as a newcomer
• Giving a positive history or account of OA in your service area

There are many ways to give service through sharing. For more ideas, see the More Suggested Topics list below.

Maintaining Our Traditions

Lifeline: Stories of Recovery is committed to upholding the Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous. Before you submit your share, we suggest you, your sponsor, and/or OA friend review your work for Tradition issues. OA world service will also edit your work if necessary, or may reject your work if Tradition issues are found.

More about Online Anonymity

Carrying the message online means upholding a higher standard for anonymity. We are sharing our recovery via public media, and the risks of breaking anonymity on the internet are different. For example, voice recognition technology could be used to expose an OA speaker’s identity if that member also has a prominent online presence outside of the rooms.

In your share, you should do your best to obscure personal details that could give away who you are, what you do outside of the rooms, and where you live or visit. This also applies to anyone you reference in your share, such as a family member. This is especially important if you record audio or video because it won’t be as easy for the World Service Office (WSO) to make editorial changes.

Anonymity and File Metadata

Be advised that the software we use for text, images, audio, and video will almost always add metadata to a file to describe who, what, where, when, and how the file was created. Your software may be configured to add your full name and GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude) to the file you create. If it is not deleted, that metadata will be accessible to anyone who views the file.

To protect your anonymity, WSO staff will review your file and delete personally identifying metadata before your work is circulated internally for editing and review.

After You Submit Your Work

After you submit your work using the online form, WSO staff will file your submission. When it is selected for publication, WSO staff will edit your work, as needed, to meet our publication standards and will add the attribution (your name/initials, state/province, country or “Anonymous”) you have selected in the online form. Additionally, your work may be enhanced. For example, if you send a written share, your work may also be used to create an audio recording or a video. Enhancements will be created by WSO staff or by a WSO-led team of OA members giving service through their talents with digital arts. If you are interested in joining this team, contact the World Service Office.

You will receive notification from the WSO if your work is published.

More Suggested Topics

We invite you to write first from your heart. You may also find inspiration among these suggested topics. We recommend you write directly to the topic you have chosen and relate this topic to your personal recovery from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors through working the Twelve Steps of OA.

Other Topics You Can Relate to Your Recovery

OA Responsibility Pledge

Always to extend the hand and heart of OA
to all who share my compulsion;
for this I am responsible.

---

OA Board-approved
© 2022 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved. Rev. 5/2023

Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. World Service Office
Location: 6075 Zenith Court NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, USA
Mailing address: PO Box 44727, Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4727, USA
Telephone: +1 505-891-2664

• Purpose of the Professional Outreach Committee
• Preparing and developing a Professional Outreach Committee
• Making contact with professionals
• Follow-through
• Why OA attends professional conferences

Purpose

The purpose of the Professional Outreach Committee is to coordinate the efforts of OA groups interested in carrying the message of recovery to hospitals, treatment centers, correctional facilities, religious organizations, schools, libraries, corporations, and civilian and military professional communities.

Remember to adhere to the principles in the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions:

• Be mindful of the difference between attraction and promotion.
• OA has no opinion on the methodologies or policies of the institutions—these are outside issues.
• Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of the Fellowship. Emphasize the importance of respecting it both within your committee and in dealing with staff and OA members at hospitals and institutions.

Preparing and developing a Professional Outreach Committee

1. Create Professional Outreach Committees at the service body and region levels. In smaller service bodies, it may be necessary to combine with an existing Public Information or Twelfth Step Within Committee. Establish liaisons between your service body and region to build effective communication.
2. Enlist committed volunteers to serve on the committee.
3. Hold meetings to determine goals and develop strategies specifically for your community. Periodically reexamine the committee goals and prioritize them.
4. Have available a copy of the Public Information and Professional Outreach Service Manual, which may be purchased from the World Service Office (WSO).
5. Compile a list of professional resources, including individual physicians, treatment centers, local professional conferences, community health fairs, hospitals, schools, libraries, correctional facilities, religious organizations, corporations, and military bases. Libraries, telephone directories, professional associations, and convention bureaus can provide information to assist you in compiling this list.
6. Compile a list of volunteers who would be available for one or more of the following: (a) panel presentations; (b) health fairs; (c) professional trade shows; and (d) temporary sponsors or mail sponsors. OA is best represented by members who are in recovery and have a working knowledge of the Steps, Traditions, OA service structure, and OA literature.

Making contact with professionals

1. When possible, make initial contact by phone, or write a letter and make a follow-up phone call. Always inquire whether the professional is familiar with OA.
2. Ask for an appointment to explain OA’s program of recovery to the interested professional; share only from your personal experience, and remember that OA is nonprofessional.
3. Encourage the professional to attend an OA meeting, or offer to take them to an open OA meeting.
4. Provide OA literature. Usually a service body purchases Professional Presentation Folders from the WSO (available at bookstore.oa.org) and provides them for individual members to take to their appointments with their family doctor or other professionals. These folders include a cover letter to the professional, the Courier newsletter (and the pamphlets When Should I Refer Someone to Overeaters Anonymous?, Membership Survey Report), and In OA, Recovery Is Possible. Additional pamphlets can be added to customize the folder for specific audiences, and it’s advisable to include a current meeting list.

Below is a non-comprehensive list of literature, available through the World Service Office (WSO), that you can use to customize professional folders:

• About OA
• To the Young Person
• To the Family of the Compulsive Eater
• Many Symptoms, One Solution
• When Should I Refer Someone to Overeaters Anonymous?
• OA literature catalog

Or you may want to donate an OA book:

• The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, Second Edition
• Overeaters Anonymous, Third Edition
• Abstinence, Second Edition

Or give back issues of Lifeline, OA’s international magazine of recovery.

Follow-through

1. Always follow any visit or lengthy phone conversation with a letter of appreciation for the professional’s time and attention.
2. Maintain current address records of all professionals, and note when they were last contacted.
3. Make as many of your resources as possible available to hospitals and institutions (e.g. audio recordings, DVDs, literature).
4. Continue to invite professionals to attend open OA meetings and/or special events sponsored by the Professional Outreach or Public Information Committees.
5. Stress OA’s willingness to serve as a community resource to help the still-suffering compulsive eater.
6. If appropriate, offer to put up a display about OA.
7. Use intergroup or region display booths for professional conference trade shows, if available.
8. Keep going back!

Why OA attends professional conferences

A professional conference brings together professionals who are either employed in the same field or who have common interests. Most conferences have an exhibition area which consists of booths occupied by companies, treatment centers and Twelve Step programs. By exhibiting at professional conferences, Overeaters Anonymous has the opportunity to educate a large number of professionals at one time and to speak to them directly when they visit the OA booth. Remember, we do not present ourselves as professionals, nor do we affiliate ourselves with the sponsors of the conference or other exhibits.

OA Responsibility Pledge

Always to extend the hand and heart of OA
to all who share my compulsion;
for this I am responsible

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OA Board-Approved
©1997. . .2011, 2019 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All Rights reserved. Rev. 5/2023
#570

Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. World Service Office
Location: 6075 Zenith Court NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, USA
Mailing address: PO Box 44727, Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4727, USA
Telephone: +1 505-891-2664