Intergroup Guidelines

The Purpose of an Intergroup is:

• Share the responsibility of reaching still-suffering food addicts
• Further the FA program in accordance with the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts of FA 
• To promote unity through service.
• Maintain a communication hub for all affiliated FA meeting groups, local service groups, and chapters to gain a sense of being part of a greater whole

Essentials for Establishing a New FA Intergroup

• Four FA members willing to serve as officers: chair, vice-chair, secretary, and treasurer* 
• Five FA members willing to serve as committee chairs for each of the five core committees*
• Additional FA members willing to serve as chairs of optional committees
• FA members with 90 days of abstinence willing to regularly attend and be of service 
• A sufficient number of FA meetings interested and willing to affiliate with the new intergroup 
• FA members willing to attend monthly meetings and participate in intergroup service work 

*Officers and committee chairs must have at least five years of abstinence and, in that term of abstinence, have completed one in-depth study of the Twelve Steps in sequence, using a method focused on food  addiction and requiring abstinence throughout each Step, as well as ongoing involvement in the same type of Twelve-Step study during the term of office (as referenced in the FA WSI Bylaws)

Next Steps

• Contact the WSI Service Group Support Committee (SGSC) Chair sgsc@foodaddicts.org for resources and assistance with establishing the intergroup 
  • Elect intergroup officers (chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer)
  • Officers appoint committee chairs for the core committees: bylaws, information technology (IT), office, public information and 12th Step 
  • Consider establishing optional committees such as convention resource, service group support committee (SGSC), and teens and twenties
• Contact the WSB Treasurer for assistance regarding funding for incorporating the intergroup and purchasing a video-conference platform for monthly meetings
• Register as a legal nonprofit entity under the applicable local law.
• Establish a bank account for the intergroup.
• Purchase directors and officers insurance for the intergroup.
• Schedule intergroup meetings at a time that is conducive for participation by the majority of affiliated meetings.
• Draft Intergroup Bylaws. 
  • Resources: EAI Bylaws, eaibylaws@foodaddicts.org; WAI Bylaws, waibylaws@foodaddicts.org
• Review to ensure the above bylaws meet the requirements outlined in Article IV Section 2 of the. 
  • Resources: bylaws@foodaddicts.org
• Submit bylaws to the WSB Chair, Vice-Chair and Bylaws Chair for approval by the FA World Service Board (WSB) before intergroup registration 
  
  • Resources: Article IV Section 4(a) of the FA WSI Bylaws.
• Create a Standing Rules of Order (SRO) Manual (formerly CEM) to guide the intergroup’s day-to-day operations and record its organizational history  
  • Resources: EAI Continuing Effects Motion Manual, WAI Continuing Effects Motion Manual, FA WSI Continuing Effects Motion Manual
• Follow the intergroup bylaws for nomination and election of intergroup officers the first January after the intergroup is established and each year thereafter. The chair and vice chair are elected in even years. The secretary and treasurer are elected in 
  odd years. Committee chair appointments are made by the officers in accordance with the intergroup bylaws.

Inventory Checklist for an Established FA Intergroup:

• Are intergroup meetings accessible by videoconference at a time conducive for participation by most of the affiliated meetings?
• Are all intergroup voting members committed to a registered FA meeting affiliated with the intergroup, or do they reside in the region served by the intergroup?
• Is there a process in place for remote voting?
• Are service opportunities available to all intergroup and chapters members with 90 days or more of continuous abstinence? 
• Do committee procedures allow for regular rotation of service positions?
• Is the intergroup self-supporting through Seventh Tradition donations?
  • Resources: Your FA Seventh Tradition pamphlet and Article X Sections 1-3 of the FA WSI Bylaws for further information.
• Is all legal documentation and financial reporting in order and up to date? 
• Is the Standing Rules of Order (SRO) Manual up to date?

WSI Bylaws Requirements:

• Do the Intergroup Bylaws meet the requirements outlined in Article IV Section 2 of the FA WSI Bylaws? 
• Does the intergroup submit the IG Bylaw amendments for review and approval by the WSB to ensure they are in compliance with FA Twelve Traditions, Twelve Concepts and WSI Policies? 
• Refer to Article IV Section 4(a) of the FA WSI Bylaws.
• Does the intergroup submit their Bylaws to the WSI Bylaws Committee for review every two years? 
• Refer to the 2001 February motion FA WSI Standing Rules of Order Manual