Media Category: Guidelines

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.
© 2014, 2018, 2022, 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

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 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.

While most OA groups start small, meetings in small towns—and small meetings anywhere—often face challenges different from those encountered by larger meetings, including larger virtual meetings. These guidelines share some of the experience, strength, and hope that other meetings have found useful in carrying the OA message in smaller communities. They are intended to be a companion to the OA Handbook for Members, Groups and Service Bodies (#120), also known as the OA Handbook, available at bookstore.oa.org. Additional resources are listed below.

Does Size Matter?

The size of a meeting does not determine its quality. Small meetings can be, and often are, successful. They may be more intimate and provide more time for members to share. Members may make personal connections more quickly, and it may be easier to see and hear fellow members in a small meeting.

Flourishing groups go out of the way to make everyone—newcomers, longtimers, and members in relapse—feel welcome. The group makes OA-approved literature available at the meeting, takes time to reach out and encourage new members, and establishes service opportunities. Offering service roles for members in all stages of abstinence and rotating service positions strengthen a meeting. Giving service is an honor and a privilege.

Tradition Five makes clear that the primary purpose of every OA group is to carry the message of recovery through the Twelve Steps to those who still suffer. Meetings that grow and thrive stay focused on abstinence and recovery from compulsive eating and offer help to those who are struggling to get abstinent. Abstinent members are willing to serve as sponsors and have sponsors. Healthy meetings do strong Twelfth Step work, and members make a sincere effort to contact those who haven’t been at meetings for a while. Hope is the greatest gift we give to all members. The message is clear around the world: Together we can. You are not alone.

Those who consider their meetings to be strong frequently credit the presence of committed members who identify the meeting as their “home-group”; these members may have long-term abstinence and are at or working towards a healthy body weight and are working the Twelve Steps of OA. Their meetings follow a specific format, with an emphasis on working the Twelve Steps while honoring the Twelve Traditions of OA. Decisions are made by group conscience and not by an individual or individuals dictating policies and procedures.

Small Meeting Challenges and Solutions

One of the challenges of small meetings or meetings in a small town is that there may be few or no people with long-term experience in the OA program. There may not be many abstinent members who can share their experience, strength, and hope. Abstinent sponsors may also be hard to find, especially if sponsors avoid sponsoring personal friends. Such meetings can still prosper, and newcomers can still find inspiration if individual members focus their shares on how working the Twelve Steps can lead to recovery.

Fortunately, technology provides many ways for small meetings to reach out and plug into the abundance of abstinent experiences in OA. For example, abstinent speakers might be brought into a meeting via speakerphone or videoconferencing services.

Members might also supplement their regular face-to-face meetings with virtual (phone, online, or non-real-time) meetings. Lists of phone, online, and non-real-time meetings can be found on the Find a Meeting page on the OA website. Virtual meetings can provide an excellent means to find abstinent speakers for face-to-face meetings as well as experienced, abstinent sponsors. Going to “ninety meetings in ninety days,” which is one suggestion for accelerating recovery, is now something anyone can do via virtual meetings.

OA events, such as workshops, retreats, marathons, and conventions, are held frequently around the world. These are an excellent way to strengthen recovery and meet abstinent members who may make good speakers or sponsors. Gathering a group of OA members to travel together to these events can turn the journey itself into a valuable recovery experience, as members share their experience, strength, and hope along the way.

Email and social media are other methods for OA members in recovery to stay connected. Non-real-time meetings (meetings that do not meet in real time or meetings that do not occur immediately, taking place over a period of hours or days) can provide support for those in isolated areas. For a list of non-real-time meetings, see Find a Meeting on oa.org. Intergroups/service boards, regions, and the World Service Office also use email to share OA information, and members can sign up to receive news. Members might volunteer to serve as designated downloaders, responsible for passing on information from the WSO and OA service body websites, especially to those who might not have access to computers.

OA’s magazine, Lifeline, is “A Meeting on the Go” and back issues can be ordered from the OA bookstore at bookstore.oa.org. Using Lifeline is another way to bring the experience, strength, and hope of the worldwide Fellowship to a meeting. Many groups use past issues of Lifeline as a source for discussion topics at meetings.

Another way to keep a meeting connected to OA’s worldwide network of recovering compulsive overeaters is to elect a representative to serve at the local intergroup/service board level, even if attendance is only possible virtually. A representative attending intergroup/service board meetings may be selected to serve as a region representative or World Service Business Conference delegate. (If the meeting is not affiliated with an intergroup/service board, it may still be able to participate in region meetings and events.) In this way, group members contribute to the group conscience of OA as a whole and find out what is happening at the region and world service levels. Giving service as a representative provides excellent opportunities to strengthen recovery and meet abstinent members who may be available as speakers and/or sponsors.

Actions Abstinent OA Members Take

There are thousands of recovering OA members around the world who have access to only one or two small face-to-face meetings. In fact, many members have long-term recovery precisely because they have been willing to go to any length to get it. They:

• Work OA’s Twelve Steps of recovery, one day at a time.
• Assume the higher level of responsibility that comes with participation in smaller meetings.
• Reach out to nonlocal OA members by phone, email, text, and social media. There are meetings and members with strong recovery around the world.
• Travel to visit other meetings and go to OA events, such as workshops, retreats, marathons, or conventions.
• Sponsor to the level of their experience.
• Search for sponsors outside their local area, if none are available nearby.
• Study and practice the Traditions to strengthen their meetings.
• Be the only person attending a meeting for weeks or months, to ensure that newcomers have a chance at recovery.
• Listen to OA recordings or podcasts and attend virtual (phone, online, and non-real-time) meetings.
• Set up a public information booth at community events.
• Be the meeting treasurer, secretary, leader, or service body representative.
• Start new meetings or an intergroup/service board.
• Do service beyond the group level.
• Visit an intergroup/service board meeting or a region assembly.

The challenges of a small town or a small meeting can be a positive incentive to strive for recovery. As has been said many times, OA is a simple program but not an easy one. These guidelines identify some of the challenges that small meetings or meetings in small towns might face. We hope this provides ideas and possible solutions. Know that you and your small meeting are not alone. Welcome to OA. Welcome home.

Recovery on oa.org:

To find the following resources on the OA website, go to oa.org/sitemap. You will find links to all of the pages named below on the Sitemap list.

Abstinence (Document Library page):

• Abstinence Literature Resource Guide
• Strong Abstinence Checklist and Writing Exercise
• And more, including the Abstinence Presentation

Meeting Formats (Document Library page, under the “Meeting Formats” category):

• Guidelines Group Conscience Meeting
• Suggested Meeting Format
• Suggested Step Study Meeting Format
• Many other meeting formats

Guidelines (Document Library page, under “Guidelines”):

• Guidelines for Addressing Disruptive Behavior
• Guidelines for Membership Retention
• Website Development Guidelines
• OA-Approved Literature List

Public Information (Guidelines: Events & Outreach page, under the drop-down menu):

• Types of public information events
• Publicity suggestions
• PI posters found in Document Library under category “PI Posters”
• OA Press Kit found on the Media & Press Kit page
• OA podcasts and videos at oa.org/podcasts

Groups (Group Resources page):

• OA Group Inventory
• Temporary Sponsors: Newcomers’ First Twelve Days
• Strong Meeting Checklist
• Unity with Diversity Checklist
• Twelve Step Workshop and Study Guide, Second Edition (#960-2), available in the OA bookstore

Virtual Services (Document Library page under “Virtual”):

• Guidelines for Anonymity in the Digital World
• Suggested Telephone Meeting Format
• Virtual meetings may be found by clicking on Find a Meeting
• Virtual Intergroup Registration/Change Form available from oa.org/sitemap

Group registration and meeting information changes (Find a Meeting section):

• Click on Find a Meeting to “Add, edit, or cancel an existing meeting”
• Click directly on Add a Meeting, Edit a Meeting, Cancel a Meeting, or Manage a Service Body from the Sitemap

Find additional resources on oa.org in the Document Library (oa.org/document-library):

• “Secretary Materials”
• “Treasurer Resources”
• “Service Body Resources” (also on the Service Bodies page at oa.org/sitemap)

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OA Board-Approved
©2018 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

Public information events are excellent ways of informing the public about the Overeaters Anonymous (OA) program of recovery.

Types of public information events

Newcomer nights

These are usually open OA meetings whose formats may vary to meet the needs of a particular audience. They commonly feature speakers and a question and-answer period. OA literature is provided as handouts if possible. The focus is on people new to or interested in Overeaters Anonymous, whether potential members or not.

Young adult events

Colleges and universities are the usual settings for these events, whether as an intimate classroom talk or in an assembly. They commonly feature two or more speakers and follow a format similar to that of a newcomer night, above. Another way to reach young adults is to participate in a school health fair. Many intergroups/service boards have display booths that can be used for this purpose. For information about participating in a health fair, see the Guidelines for Health Fair Participation on oa.org.

Presentations to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) staff

EAPs are counseling centers that some large companies employ to help workers deal with personal problems in a confidential setting. Staff members and/or counselors are often quite receptive to learning how OA can help their clients.

Other types of Public Information (PI) events

There are many other settings for public information outreach. For more information about the above or other types of public information and professional outreach events, refer to the Public Information and Professional Outreach Service Manual.

When to hold public information events

Anytime is a good time!

Strategic times:

• Before holidays
• After New Year’s
• Early spring

We also recommend holding events on OA related days:

• OA’s birthday (third full weekend—Friday included—of January)
• Unity Day (last Saturday of February in even years and last Sunday of February in odd years)
• Sponsorship Day (third full weekend—Friday included—of August)
• International Day Experiencing Abstinence (IDEA) (third full weekend—Friday included—of November)
• Twelfth Step Within Day (December 12)

Preparation and planning

(about three to four months prior)

• Form a committee and choose a chairperson.
• Encourage participation within your intergroup by enumerating specific tasks and the time commitment needed to accomplish them.
• Determine your budget. Keep in mind that the purpose of Public Information (PI) events is to get information out to the community, not to make money. Things such as suggested donations or raffles should be saved for retreats and conventions. If your intergroup does not have the funds to put on an event on its own, contact your region. Some regions will provide funding for PI events.
• Select a site. If your event will be in a school or institution, make sure the arrangements are made with the proper authorities. The site should be easily accessible, with well-lit parking. Besides schools and hospitals, libraries and churches are usually good locations.
• Decide on format. The format will determine your needs. You will need to consider:
  • How many will attend?
  • Will you have one or more speakers? A panel? (Microphones, a podium, table)
  • Will there be a question-and-answer session? (Paper, pencils)
  • What special interests does the audience have? (Specific literature, topics)
• Inspect the site and ask questions. Tell the facility’s manager what you’ll need and find out what’s available. Questions to ask:
  • Are there any fees?
  • What about parking?
  • What is the maximum legal occupancy of the room?
  • Will someone from the facility be there the day or night of the event? If so, is there an additional fee, such as for janitorial staff to close the facility?

Materials

(about two to three months prior)

• Order the literature and other materials (videos, etc.) you may need: We suggest that only OA Conference- and Board-approved literature be used. Be sure to bring along local meeting directories that clearly list phone numbers of meeting contacts, the oa.org website, and your intergroup’s website if you have one. Remember: The internet is one of our most important public information resources. Newcomers who do not approach you at the event may wish to find out more about OA after the event. You may wish to bring along wallet cards with your local intergroup’s number and website address.
• Suggested literature for newcomer nights:
  About OA
  In OA, Recovery Is Possible
  Fifteen Questions
  Many Symptoms, One Solution
  Where Do I Start?
  OA Members Come in All Sizes
  To the Family of the Compulsive Overeater
• Suggested literature for young adult events:
  Many Symptoms, One Solution
  OA Members Come in All Sizes
  To the Family of the Compulsive Eater
  To Parents and Concerned Adults (for parents and teachers)
  Focus on Anorexic and Bulimic Packet
• In addition, you might include:
  Back issues of Lifeline (available from the WSO)
  The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, Second Edition
  Taste of Lifeline
  Overeaters Anonymous, Third Edition (the Brown Book)
  OA catalog
  Other specialized pamphlets, depending on your audience
• Suggested literature for professionals:
  When Should I Refer Someone to Overeaters Anonymous?
  Courier newsletter
  Back issues of Lifeline

Speakers

(about two to three months prior)

Speakers should be chosen carefully; they’ll be representing the OA program and should demonstrate recovery on all three levels: emotional, spiritual, and physical. You may wish to have abstinence requirements. It is highly recommended that speakers have at least one year of current abstinence and are maintaining a healthy body weight. Look for members who have suffered from different symptoms of the disease.

Speaking to young adults

Two speakers are preferred, since two stories provide more diversity. Two people can also answer questions more effectively. Each should share for fifteen minutes. Speakers should be the same age or just slightly older than those in the audience. They should focus on their younger years, and share personal problems and health risks of compulsive eating.

Speaking to Employee Assistance Program professionals

In the spirit of cooperation, not affiliation, tell them how helpful OA can be for their clients who struggle with eating disorders to stress that we are not in competition with them, but an outside source of help.

To find more detailed information on doing presentations to schools, professionals or other special groups, see the Public Information and Professional Outreach Service Manual.

Publicity

(about two months prior)

Prepare 8 1/2-by-11-inch or A4 flyers

Make these in time to be distributed four to six weeks prior to the event. They should contain the event title; the sponsoring intergroup’s name; event location, date, and time; and the contact phone number (no names). Flyers should make it clear that it’s an event for the general public and not just for OA members. Suggested distribution sites: public health clinics, student health centers, exercise clubs, Twelve-Step bookstores, doctor and professional offices (obtain permission first), and OA meetings. Provide plenty of extra flyers for OA meetings, and urge members to take a few and post them on bulletin boards at their grocery store, laundromat, church, school, etc.

Get the word out to the community

Contact radio and TV stations and ask them to run public service announcements. Tell them OA is a nonprofit organization. Make sure the Public Service Announcements (PSAs) include a local contact phone number. Also, local, regional, senior, school and free newspapers often have calendars of community events; send them announcements. (For sample PSA scripts and press releases, see the Public Information and Professional Outreach Service Manual; to arrange to use WSO PSAs, contact the World Service Office.) Consider free advertising on online local classified ad sites. These sites often have community events/meeting announcements sections. Even if they don’t, you can still create an ad inviting people to a public information meeting or to just make contact for more information about OA.

Inform the Fellowship

Announce the event at all OA meetings, telling members of the planned content. Ask them to attend and bring a non-OA guest. List tasks for which volunteers are needed and provide a contact name and number to call if interested in helping.

Final preparations

(about one month prior)

Get firm commitments from volunteers and assign duties.

Areas of service include:

• Registration table
• Literature
• Cleanup
• Door greeting
• Making and distributing ID badges
• Writing flyers
• Distributing flyers
• Decorating, if necessary
• Making signs to direct participants to the right room

Call all volunteers and remind them of their commitments.

Checklist for one week prior to event

• Call all volunteers again to verify their participation.
• Make sure the facility is ready for you.
• Give a flyer to the person answering the phone at the facility.

On the day

Arrive at least an hour before the event starts.

You will need to:

• Set up the meeting room
• Coordinate volunteers
• Check the literature
• Check the registration table
• Check the refreshment tables

Follow-up

• Have a post-event meeting: Evaluate what happened and make recommendations for the future.
• Send thank-you notes to those outside OA who helped, such as radio, TV, and facility personnel.
• Retrieve recorded Public Service Announcements (PSAs), if any, from TV and radio stations.

For more information on putting together public information or newcomers nights, consult the Public Information and Professional Outreach Service Manual (#765 in the OA bookstore at bookstore.oa.org).

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
©1993 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All Rights reserved. Rev. 2/2025.
#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

(Committed to Action for Recovery, Encouragement, and Support)

Correspondence Program Guidelines

The OA C.A.R.E.S. correspondence program was created to establish a network of support for compulsive eaters who are incarcerated. By describing how OA has affected your life, you can help deliver OA’s Twelve Step program of recovery directly to those in need. Thank you for volunteering to share the very essence of our program—one compulsive overeater reaching out to another.

These guidelines have been developed to help facilitate your correspondence by suggesting ways to adhere to OA Principles and comply with special requirements established by the participating institutions. Please adhere to these guidelines in all your correspondence.

Your letter should share your experience, strength, and hope about the problems associated with compulsive eating. When discussing your experience, remember to focus on the solutions you found by working the OA program. The hope of our program lies in the recovery we have found through the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. The program can work no matter what our life circumstances.

Keep Your Focus on OA

You may be in other Twelve Step programs, but you have been selected as a volunteer for the OA C.A.R.E.S. program because you are a compulsive overeater. Keep it simple.

Participants will be assigned to individuals of the same sex. The inmate you are corresponding with may discuss issues seemingly unrelated to compulsive overeating, such as their convictions, legal matters, or medical problems. Keep in mind that we cannot solve these problems and should never give advice on any of these subjects. Your response should address these issues, if at all, only in the context of working our Twelve Step program.

The following are some useful suggestions for OA C.A.R.E.S. volunteers:

Remember

OA members in correctional facilities are compulsive eaters simply looking for the hope of recovery.

• Use your sense of humor. Be lighthearted.
• Be courteous. Respond to letters within two weeks.
• Write legibly.
• Be mindful of Traditions Six, Eight, and Twelve.*
• Tell your story (what you were like, what happened, and what you are like now).
• Relate your experience. Describe how you work through your problems thanks largely to the growth you have experienced in the OA Twelve Step program.

Keep the Following Cautions in Mind

You are embarking on a Twelfth Step relationship with a person whom you have not met, who may be unwell in several areas, and who may be using this relationship for motives unrelated to recovery. It is important that you be cautious and alert. We would like to hear from you about your experience so we can help others.

For your protection, all correspondence between the inmate and you will be handled by the Member Services Department at the OA World Service Office (WSO). The Member Services Department will not personally identify you to the inmate. You will write to the inmate and mail the letter to the WSO. Letters should be signed only with your initials. Do not reveal your name or any other personal information, such as where you live, your marital status, or the names of family members. Use universal identifiers, such as “my relative,” “my friend,” or other general descriptions. In sharing your experience, strength, and hope, avoid sharing details that might be too identifiable. While you are anonymous to the correctional facility, OA is not. OA received clearance to communicate with the inmate, so it is essential that you not do anything that could reveal your identity or jeopardize OA’s clearance. Member Services will forward your letter to the inmate, and any response from the inmate will be sent to you in care of the WSO. Never communicate with an inmate without going through the WSO.

Certainly, you will want to avoid being used for purposes other than Twelve Step work. To offer to carry messages to anyone or to contact family members, a third party, or the prison administration on the inmate’s behalf might hinder rather than help the inmate’s recovery or might breach the institution’s regulations. Doing so might compromise you and the good reputation of OA. Breaches of institutional regulations may result in discipline, or even criminal penalties. Never send anything, such as food, money, gifts, or cigarettes, to the inmate. We suggest that you stick to the program of recovery. That is, after all, the only thing you can provide: the message of recovery through the Twelve Steps of Overeaters Anonymous.

• Tradition Six: An OA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the OA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
• Tradition Eight: Overeaters Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
• Tradition Twelve: Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all these Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

 

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
©1991, 2002, 2010, 2018, 2019 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. Rev. 5/2023. 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

Using Technology without Compromising Traditions

Content

• Introduction
• What format to use on a website
• Mobile technology
• How do the Traditions affect what we put on a website?
• Unity: deciding on content
• Security: inside and outside
• Welcome newcomers!
• Avoiding endorsement and/or opinions of outside interests
• Technical issues
• Summary

Introduction

These guidelines have been developed specifically for OA service bodies that wish to use the internet to help inform others about the presence of Overeaters Anonymous in their area. As with most things in Overeaters Anonymous, these are not meant to be “rules.” They are provided to help OA members with specific interests related to developing or maintaining an OA-related website.

What format to use on a website?

Generally, OA-related websites contain information presented in a structured, logical format. The main or “home” page contains general information about OA and the service body sponsoring the website. In addition, it may provide links to any or all of the following:

1. Link for newcomers to oa.org
2. Local meeting information
3. Links to OA basics, such as Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts of OA Service
4. Local events list and/or local newsletter
5. OA.org bookstore
6. Other OA websites, such as the region

The sponsoring service body decides what information it wants to provide and maintain. Remember that the more complex a website is, the more difficult it is to maintain and, probably, to navigate. “Keep it simple” applies here.

Mobile technology

Staying relevant and attractive to visitors means enabling them to access your website anywhere, anytime, from any device. Recent statistics from a large city’s OA website indicate that 50 percent of its visitors were using mobile devices. It’s likely that visitors already coming to your website are also on mobile devices.

Service bodies should strongly consider having a mobile-optimized version of their website. A single website can be designed to be mobile-friendly. Or, in more and more cases, a separate but identical website exists that only mobile users are directed to. Often website development software includes an option to include a mobile version of the website.

How do the Traditions affect what we put on a website?

Our Eleventh Tradition states: “We need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, television and other public media of communication.” The internet is one of those “other public media of communication,” and we must be aware of all Tradition issues related to this medium. No matter how modest a website may be, its audience is potentially large and diverse. Unlike other public information efforts, once it is published, a website is accessible by anyone and everyone. Worldwide.

As an example, in keeping with our Tradition of anonymity at the level of “other media of communication,” it is advisable not to include full names or personal addresses. However, posting the first name (with or without a last initial) and email address (with the member’s consent if it is a personal email account) of a service body’s contact is vital to helping suffering compulsive overeaters find the help they seek in Overeaters Anonymous. For OA’s main website, there is a policy not to use an email address that includes someone’s last name. It might be a good idea to adopt a similar policy. There are several ways to do this. One is to use a service position, for example, secretaryIG or Reg_Treasurer; or a name with initial, for example, maryt or johnt; or something silly, for example, justaboutwonderful.

Unity: deciding on content

Unity is best maintained with broad-based, inclusive information. Remember that, “Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon OA unity” (Tradition One). Keeping the information general allows us to reach as many compulsive overeaters as possible.

No one may republish OA copyrighted material, including on the internet, without permission from the World Service Office. Any registered OA service body may receive permission to publish OA copyrighted literature by completing the Reprint Permission Request form on oa.org. OA material currently published on the OA website is exempt from this policy. All registered service bodies may reprint those pieces without submitting a written request for permission. Additionally, any registered service body may apply for blanket permission to use the OA logo on any of its publications (e.g., flyers, posters, newsletters, meeting lists, websites, stationery, and business cards) for a two-year period (renewable). The OA Logo Permission Request form (PDF or DOCX) is on oa.org.

The service body is responsible for the contents of the website it sponsors.

Security: inside and out

The internet has made getting the OA message out easier. It has also made it easier for malicious actions to take place. Your website, if not protected, is vulnerable to malware, phishing, viruses, spying, and/or hijacking of visitor information.

Website visitors these days are more tech-savvy than in the past and are generally aware of the potential security risks of visiting any website, OA-related or otherwise. They also likely use antivirus software that not only warns them of a potential threat but can also report your website as unsafe.

If you haven’t done so already (or recently), it’s a good idea to review your website’s security and take necessary action to assure visitors that it has all the proper security systems in place to ensure the safety of their visit.

Administratively, make sure that at least two service body board members know the website’s passwords. Use strong passwords; “serenity” is not a good password for a Twelve Step organization. It is recommended that passwords are at least sixteen characters and contain a combination of numbers, symbols, and upper- and lowercase letters. Change the passwords at least annually or when you have a rotation of service with password-holders.

Protect against the change of status of the person with website responsibility by having more than one person with information about the process. If you use an outside resource for your website, make sure that your group is listed as the owner of the website’s hosting account, domain name, and any other assets. Generally a specific person is listed, so when that person rotates out of service, make sure the contact details are changed with the vendors your service body uses.

Welcome newcomers!

Websites have little time to keep a visitor’s attention. Most often a newcomer will visit your website looking for something specific, perhaps a meeting nearby or someone to speak with. Make newcomer information easy to find by creating a clear path.

• Include an obvious newcomer field on your home page.
• Make the newcomer message inviting.
• Create a separate newcomer page.
• Include OA-approved content that is already available.
• Include links to stories of recovery. These can include reprints from Lifeline, local stories of recovery, “Welcome Home,” and reprints from local and region newsletters.
• Provide a current meeting list (or link) within the newcomer page.
• With permission from the World Service Office (WSO), include reprinted excerpts from OA publications. For more information, see above or the Copy Requests page on the OA website.
• Provide easy-to-find contact information, including telephone numbers, emails, and postal addresses.

Avoiding endorsement and/or opinions of outside interests

As stated in the Tenth Tradition: “Overeaters Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues.” This consideration is clear when we look at websites developed and maintained by non-OA organizations. When a visitor sees a link on those webpages, it’s as if the website’s owner is saying, “This is a website I think well of. This page can provide you with information you may want to know.” It is an unspoken endorsement of the linked-to site. OA does not endorse, so OA-related websites do not link with websites not affiliated with OA.

Summary

General things to remember:

• Design the website with newcomers in mind.
• Keep content current, especially meeting lists.
• When using OA copyrighted material or the OA logo, use the permission forms on oa.org.
• Link only to websites sponsored by Overeaters Anonymous service bodies or the WSO (oa.org).
• After your website is developed, send the URL (website address) to the WSO.
• As a courtesy, send copies of your website publications (e.g., newsletters, flyers, etc.) to your region office and/or region trustee on a regular basis.
• Create a website technical information document within the service body that includes login and passwords, vendor identification, process instructions, and other important information.

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
©2004, 2008, 2015 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

The following guidelines are offered as suggestions only; they are guides to aid you in deciding what information to collect.

We invite any and all of you to participate in recording your local history and in gathering local historical memorabilia. This will help to ensure that your history is not lost. The World Service Office (WSO) invites you to submit your histories for safekeeping to allow historians and scholars, as well as OA visitors from around the world, to gain a broader perception and appreciation of OA history in different areas. Anonymity and confidentiality will be protected. Please note: the WSO is only able to accept electronically formatted files due to storage limitations.

We suggest that the content and interpretation of local histories be approved by the group conscience of members involved in your area.

You may want to begin by interviewing longtime members or writing the history of your own OA experience.

On a personal level:

• Where did you first hear about OA?
• Did you have a sponsor? If so, how did it help you as a newcomer?
• Do you continue to have a sponsor?
• What contributions did you make to the Fellowship’s growth? (Please don’t be modest.)
• How has OA changed since you first encountered it?

On the birth of OA in your area:

• When was OA started in your town or area? Where were the first meetings held (homes, churches, etc.)?
• Who was responsible for starting the group? Which early members contributed to the growth and success of the group? How was it started: as an offshoot of a parent group, as a split from the first or main group, or by one person starting the group?
• What was OA like in the early days in your area?
• How were new members contacted? How was Twelfth Step work done?
• Was the cooperation of local community agencies and professionals—ministers, doctors, etc.—looked into?
• Who were the founders and group officers of the early groups?
• How often were meetings held and what kinds of meeting formats were used?
• If English is not the local language in your area, how did the founding members start the group? What literature did they use and how has this changed? How has translation of OA literature been carried out?
• Did any special problems arise during the early years? Did the early groups suffer growing pains?
• Was your group ever given a name? What was it? Is it still the same? If it has been changed, what is the present name of the group?
• Do you know how the community received the first group when it started? How has it affected the community since?
• Do you have an intergroup/service board or central office in your area or community? Do you know when it started? How? By whom? Were there any problems?
• Was there any opposition to OA or were there intergroup/ service board feuds in your area? Please elaborate.
• Does your area sponsor OA events such as conventions, marathons, retreats, or assemblies? When were they started? How often are they held? Are they well-attended?
• Do you participate in events outside your area, such as those hosted by other service bodies? Do other members from your area attend also?
• Have you experienced growth in your group, in your area? Who approaches OA today: mostly young people, women, men, minorities? Are all welcome? Are there any special problems?
• Does your area have a website? How was this idea received when it was proposed? How was the website created, and how is it maintained?
• Has your group ever completed a public awareness/information project? Have any members ever written articles for, or been interviewed by, local newspapers?
• Do you celebrate individual and group anniversaries? How?

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
©1991, 2008 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

Statement on Approved Literature

(Business Conference Policy Manual, 2010a [Amended 2012, 2023])

“In accordance with our Traditions, we suggest that OA groups maintain unity and honor our Traditions by using, selling, and displaying only approved books and pamphlets at their meetings. This includes OA Conference- and board-approved literature; AA Conference-approved books, booklets, and all future editions thereof, with original edition copyright 2010 or earlier; and locally produced OA literature. Although groups may choose to focus on only one piece of OA-approved literature, individuals and groups are encouraged to use any and all OA-approved literature. Locally produced literature must be developed according to OA Guidelines for Locally Produced Literature, and should be used with the greatest discretion. Local literature should be considered temporary and discontinued when OA literature approved for general use is available to cover the topic.”

Statement on Literature That Is Not OA-Approved

(Business Conference Policy Manual, 1993b [amended 2010])

“It is the group conscience of the 1993 World Service Business Conference that the sale or display of literature other than OA-approved literature and AA conference-approved literature (as described in WSBC Policy 2010a) is an implied endorsement of outside enterprises, and therefore in violation with Tradition Six.”

To determine whether you have the most recent version of a piece of OA literature, see the OA-Approved Literature List by Copyright Date and compare it to the copyright date on your literature.

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OA Board-approved
©1990… 2018 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. Rev. 10/2025. 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

Purpose of participating

An OA display at a local health fair is an excellent way of doing Twelfth Step outreach work.

Funding

In addition to funding through your service body, funding may be available through your region, or in cooperation with other local service bodies. The Reduced Cost Literature program can assist groups and service bodies purchasing bulk literature for public information and outreach projects. For an application, go to oa.org/document-library and search under  “Public Information” category.

How to locate health fairs in your area

Your group’s or service body’s public information committee may already have a list of contacts, which can be a great starting point in finding local health fairs. Other great resources are the internet, newspapers, and local community news, television, or radio programs. Search for online community calendars or health-related resources. If you find out about an event too late to participate, ask to be added to the notification list for next year’s event.

Preparation and planning

(about three to four months prior)

Form a committee and choose a chair

Encourage participation within your service body at meetings or through the service body’s newsletter. Describe specific tasks and the time commitment needed to accomplish them.

Questions to ask the fair organizers

• What are the days and times of setup, operation, and breakdown?
• Are there any fees? Ask about not-for-profit rates. If participation is cost prohibitive, ask the organizers if your group or service body can place OA information, such as business cards or flyers with contact information and meeting times, on a table at the event.
• What is the event’s projected attendance?
• Who else will be exhibiting?
• Will other Twelve Step programs be participating?
• Can your group or service body be located near them? Will there be a speaker on compulsive eating?
• Can you hold an open OA meeting at the site?
• Are there size limits or special requirements for the display?
• Will rental tables or chairs be available?
• Will an electrical outlet, if needed, be accessible near the booth?
• Will a copy machine be available if needed?

Materials

(about two to three months prior)

Prepare the display

Your service body might own a professional exhibit booth. If not, use a table and chairs. Create a display using the Public Information Posters (available for free download at oa.org/document-library; “PI Posters”) and a selection of OA-approved literature (see below). Consider a professionally made banner, which can be used again. To use the Overeaters Anonymous logo, request permission from the World Service Office using the OA Logo Permission Request Form found on oa.org. (Go to oa.org/document-library; “Copyright.”) One way to appear professional is to avoid a cluttered look.

Stocking the booth

To prepare, use this list of supplies you may need.

• extension cord
• tape
• markers
• scissors
• glue
• rubber bands
• stapler and staples
• paper clips
• volunteer badges
• correction fluid/tape
• pens and/or pencils
• camera or mobile device to take photos of your booth and/or the event for your website or newsletter. (Remember not to photograph faces or distinguishing features in order to protect members’ and visitors’ anonymity.)
• clipboards and notepaper

Literature

Only OA Conference- or board-approved literature should be offered. (See the OA-Approved Literature List. Bring enough so that people may take some. To avoid clutter, store extra literature under the table. The literature suggested below is high in newcomer interest and low in cost. It’s available from the OA bookstore at bookstore.oa.org.

• In OA, Recovery Is Possible (#135)
• Fifteen Questions (#755)
• Many Symptoms, One Solution (#106)
• New Prospect Card (#450)
• The Tools of Recovery (#160)
• Fifteen Questions for the Young Person (#756)
• Is Food a Problem for You? (#750)
• OA Members Come in All Sizes (#110)
• To the Family of the Compulsive Eater (#240)
• Where Do I Start? (#705)
• About OA (#751)

For health fairs held in work environments, at/or near military bases, or at health care facilities, these pamphlets are also suggested.

• When Should I Refer Someone to Overeaters Anonymous? (#770)
• Courier, a newsletter for the professional community (To download, go to oa.org/document-library; “Public Information.”)

Bring a supply of local meeting lists. (Obtain permission from meeting contacts to include their information.) Include a handout that has the oa.org website and your service body’s website and/or contact information. Back issues of Lifeline magazine are available from the OA bookstore at bookstore.oa.org. Bring along a sign-up sheet for people who want to receive more information or your service body’s newsletter via email. For display only, consider including Overeaters Anonymous, Third Edition, book and CDs; The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, Second Edition book; For Today; Taste of Lifeline; Abstinence, Second Edition; Voices of Recovery; and specialized OA pamphlets, such as To the Man Who Wants to Stop Compulsive Overeating, Welcome.

Volunteers

(about one to two months prior)

Get firm commitments from volunteers

Booth volunteers should be chosen carefully. They will be representing the OA program and should demonstrate recovery on all three levels: emotional, spiritual, and physical. You may wish to have abstinence requirements. It is highly recommended that booth volunteers have at least one year of current abstinence and are maintaining a healthy body weight. Look for members who have suffered from different symptoms of the disease.

Make sure volunteers know their areas of responsibility

Responsibilities include setup, breakdown, general staffing, backup, etc. Arrange the schedule so that two volunteers are working the booth at all times in case one has to leave temporarily. Shifts no longer than three hours, with two hours being optimum, are suggested. Make sure all volunteers are comfortable with the fact that they’ll be seen by the general public, who may ask them about their OA membership or may assume it. Call volunteers again one month before the fair and again one week before the fair to confirm their participation. Give copies of Guidelines for Health Fair Participation to all volunteers.

Day of fair

Setting up

Do this as early as possible. It’s easiest to have those who put up the display and lay out the literature to take the first shift.

Demeanor while working the table or booth

Be friendly, but don’t push information or literature. Sit back from the table—this allows people to feel free to take material without feeling intimidated. Look alert and interested, letting people know you’re ready to speak with them if they wish. Be careful about socializing with others staffing the booth; if you appear too “busy,” attendees may be hesitant to approach. When speaking with them, make eye contact. Remember that this is a program of attraction, not promotion (Tradition Eleven). There should be no eating, drinking, or smoking at the booth. Dress neatly and appropriately. Record the number of visitors to your table.

Answering questions

Telling people that OA is “a Twelve Step program patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous” will answer a great many questions. Keep in mind that you’re not expected to be an expert on compulsive overeating. You may, however, share your experience, strength, and hope; you might wish to bring your “before” pictures. If you give an opinion, make it clear that it is your opinion and not representative of OA as a whole.

Give people literature and meeting lists. Be sure to mention that if they have any questions, they are welcome to call the contact numbers on the meeting list or visit oa.org.

Follow-up

Send thank-you notes to the fair organizers

Ask them to put your group or service body on the mailing list for next year. Have a post-fair evaluation meeting with the volunteers to discuss how it went and collect suggestions for next time.

For more information

For more information about doing health fairs or other public information work, consult the Public Information and Professional Outreach Service Manual (#765), available from the OA bookstore at bookstore.oa.org.

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OA Board-approved
©1993, 1998, 2008, 2016, 2019 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All Rights reserved. Rev 2/2025.

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

1. Have an OA group, intergroup, service board, or region sponsor the newsletter.
2. Keep it positive. Don’t allow editorial opinions on controversial issues or policies to dominate the newsletter.
3. Before printing, review the issue for observance of Traditions (for example, non–OA event advertising or other endorsements).
4. Traditions Six and Ten guide us to select only material from within the OA Fellowship. This may include OA publications and/or OA program-related submissions from members. Include a disclaimer that personal stories express the experience, strength, and hope of the individual member and not of OA as a whole.
5. Intergroup/service board newsletters can include a brief summary of minutes and financial statements, information about upcoming OA events, reports from loners or groups in outlying areas, and articles about personal recovery.
6. Do not print copyrighted material or the OA logo without permission. Check the Copy Requests page at oa.org or contact the World Service Office for information regarding OA’s copyright procedures and guidelines. The Copy Requests page also lists OA materials that registered OA groups and services bodies may reprint without written permission. For permission to use the OA logo, submit the Permission to Use the OA Logo form (PDF or DOCX), available on the Copy Requests page and in the Document Library, to the WSO.
7. Registered groups and service bodies may reprint individual articles from Lifeline, A Step Ahead, and the WSO News Bulletin for limited personal and group use, crediting the appropriate publication and Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. Material from these sources may not be revised. An example of “credit” would be to place “[source, date] Copyright Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.” at the end of the article used.
8. OA newsletters often contain a statement that other OA groups and service bodies are welcome to reprint articles from them without permission. When reprinting from other OA newsletters, be sure to credit the source.
9. Review both the Newsletter page under Guidelines: Events & Outreach and the News & Events page at oa.org to find information about new OA policies and available resources.
10. Original sketches, cartoons, pictures, etc. add visual interest.
11. Determine through the group conscience whether to charge for the newsletter to, for example, offset costs or raise funds.
12. Investigate the most cost-effective way to distribute your newsletter. Many newsletters are published primarily online, for example, on the group’s or service body’s website.

Congratulations! Your newsletter will enhance the growth of Overeaters Anonymous in your area.

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
©1991, 2008, 2017, 2019 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. Rev. 6/2022. 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

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.

Overeaters Anonymous supports the development of literature where current OA literature doesn’t fill a need. Locally produced literature may include stories of personal recovery unique to specific geographic areas, languages, or cultural groups. While the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions are the common ground of all OA members throughout the world, stories that demonstrate our diversity can help individuals achieve recovery.

Locally produced literature may also include material for public information or professional outreach efforts in a specific area, or OA recovery-oriented literature. OA newsletters have their own specific guidelines, Guidelines for OA Newsletters, available at oa.org/document-library under “Guidelines.”

In the spirit of unity, the following guidelines are offered to assist in the development of locally produced literature.

1. Locally produced literature should be developed, reviewed, and approved by a service body beyond the group level, except for newsletters, meeting lists, flyers, posters, letterhead, and business cards.
2. The OA logo may be used only with written permission. Submit the “Permission to Use the OA Logo” form (PDF or DOCX), available on the Copy Requests page at oa.org, to the World Service Office to start the process. The group or service body name must appear under the logo.
3. If developed for sale, the literature may be sold only within the Fellowship.
4. Check the copyright procedures and guidelines on the Copy Requests page at oa.org for an explanation of what literature requires written permission to reprint and what does not. To reprint excerpts from literature not listed as available to registered groups and service bodies for reprinting without written permission, submit the “Reprint Permission” form (PDF or DOCX) to the World Service Office (WSO).
5. Include the following disclaimer on the cover page of each piece of literature: “This literature has been locally produced by [service body name here]. The content reflects the experience, strength, and hope of our local members. It is not OA Conference- or Board-approved and does not represent OA as a whole.”
6. We recommend that the Responsibility Pledge be included in all published locally produced literature, social media, newsletters, and bulletins.
7. Upon completion of the literature’s development, prior to publication, send one copy to the region liaison and one copy to the WSO. If your service body has not received permission to use the OA logo yet, this copy should be sent with a “Permission to Use the OA Logo” form for permission to publish the literature with the logo.
8. When publishing either local OA history or the history of OA as a whole, ensure that the information is accurately presented. Guidelines to support the development of local OA history, Suggested Guidelines for Writing the History of Your Local OA Area, are available at oa.org/document-library under “Guidelines.”
9. Literature should not judge programs in other areas or compare them with the local program.
10. Review literature carefully to ensure it upholds our Traditions.
11. If the literature includes personal stories of recovery, it is recommended that diverse stories by multiple authors be included.
12. We recommend the sponsoring service body create a committee of three to four currently abstinent members to oversee the literature development or review process. This committee should bring their recommendations to the sponsoring service body for approval.
13. “Local literature should be considered temporary and discontinued when OA literature approved for general use is available to cover the topic” (Statement on Approved Literature adopted at the 2010 World Service Business Conference, amended 2012). To read the full Statement, see the OA-Approved Literature List at oa.org/document-library under “Guidelines.”

 

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
©1998, 2000, 2009, 2018, 2019 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. Rev 5/2023. 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