Service Group Support Committee Minutes - Sunday, March 21, 2021

3:30pm – 5:00pm ET

Serenity Prayer

Attendance

There were 38 fellows in attendance:
Abigail (Abi) MA, Andrew L CA, Anita F FL, Barb C AB, Barbara S Fl, Bob F FL, Carol C 603, Cassie G MD, Colleen PA, Dalia M BC, Delores W GA, Di M FL, Diane C TX, Eric MA, Helen R NYC, Jackie W DC, Janie R KY,  Jenny F Aust, Joe P 207, Karen K FL, Kathryn W NY, Kathy F CA, Ketura DC, Leona WC CA, Linda B, Linda C Toronto, Mac M TX, Marcia W MI, Margaret O FL/MN, Nancy M Toronto, Nikki O AB, Pam K BC, Roseanne WI, Rosie TX, Sherry W FL, Shirley H Maine, Susan T ON, Yaser AB

Intergroup and Chapter Updates

Eastern Area Intergroup (EAI) 

• A motion is underway for the Eastern Area Intergroup to change the abstinence requirements for the executive board members and committee members to be 5 years. This change is proposed to be consistent with the voting requirements of world service members at the business convention.
• EAI motions have been updated and will be voted on during the World Service Business Convention in June (5/6) 2021.
• April nominations for board executives are forestalled for 60 days due to the Massachusetts entities.
• EAI LSG’s are in the process of creating a repository for Local Service Group (LSG) best practices, such as service positions/outreach activities/suggestions around connection workshops/racks/flyers/public information sessions/zoom practices. Prototypes will be available this month. In May, the LSG will do deep dive at the EAI body meeting.

Maine Chapter

There are 22 meetings affiliated with the chapter, 17 have become gatherings, some gatherings have merged into one.
The chapter meets virtually every month. There are 3 committees: Office Committee, PI Committee, and the 12th Step Committee.
In February the Chapter:

• Submitted a Motion to WSI for the WSBC.
• Presented a FA Information Session at a Virtual Statewide Recovery Conference.
• Purchased an Ad-buy in Central Maine. This ad-buy resulted in a Press Release. The paper was a free paper that went into 10,000 homes and is a free pick-up paper at stores.
• Hosted our first Chapter e-Forum. The Forum was organized by the Chapter 12th Step Committee with support from the EAI 12th Step Committee. It was 3 hours long.
• The agenda included:
• Small Breakout Rooms: Ice Breaker
• Sharing Session: Recovery from Food Addiction in Difficult Times
• FA Pictionary
• FA the Musical

As a Chapter, we rotate service positions on a regular basis. Officers (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer) are elected, and Committee Chairs are appointed by the Officers.
In April we will be taking nominations for Officers and the election will be held in May.

Western Area Intergroup (WAI)

• There are no face-to-face meetings. The board is meeting once a month intergroup meeting.
• A letter has been sent to the WAI fellowship advising of service positions available, encouraging fellows to stay abstinent and join gatherings.

Presentation Topic

Barbara S/Sherry W from South West Florida (SWFL) shared their experience and a version of a presentation that was shown at a virtual health fair in their area.

The virtual health fair presentation included a swag bag which included the FA trifold with meeting contact information. They expected approx. 80 people for this virtual event (typically, there are thousands of people in attendance at the in-person event). To keep anonymity, Barbara and Sherry were not on video and did not share their names on screen. The presentation included personal experience based on the 20 questions from the FA website. The Health Care Presentation was modified for the public and reviewed by the WSI PI committee. The abstinence requirement to be eligible to present is to be determined. The “Question and Answer” period included frequently asked questions.

Q&A/Discussion

Q. If this was presented in person, our faces would be seen. Why was the decision made to not show faces when presenting virtually?
A. Based on the Tradition #11. “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.” Faces are not shown because they could be recorded

Q. Can this be recorded to leverage or use as a tutorial?
A. This question will be presented to the WSI Public Information committee and the World Service Board.

Q. How do we advertise info sessions?
A. We do not post on Facebook because Facebook uses our personal account. Therefore, does not follow Tradition #11. Eventbrite/Craigslist are options. Fliers/trifolds, community newspapers, and Adult education programs are options.

Q. Is this readily available to all now? What is the process to get access to this? Have abstinence requirements been defined? Can this be posted on You Tube/podcast?
A. The presentation is not readily available to all. However, if you have an application please email SGSC@foodaddicts.org. WSI SGSC will be working with the WSI PI committee to determine next steps for this presentation.

Q. Do presenters need to be from the local area where the virtual Health Fair is based?
A. No, they do not need to be.

Comments

• The use of FA jargon needs to be considered. Would a newcomer understand terms such as “individual binge foods”?
• Conversational tone made it relatable. Consider using non-gender specific. If there is a reference to, he/she, replace with something else (they/them). Anything posted virtually needs to be reviewed for inclusivity.
• Consider adding the URL of the newcomer package to the slides. Consider adding some graphics to keep the attention of the audience.

LSG Reporting

Jackie W - DC - did hold a virtual health fair this past weekend did have a virtual booth - lots of literature uploaded - links to a website - pdf's that were downable to their swag bags - not 
many visitors to the booth, but the seed was planted. Cassie G - DC - Virtual Health Fair - was able to video chat with anyone that visited the booth (like a breakout room)

Additional Information

Helen R - New York City - Coordinator for gatherings, would like to connect with others.  

FAHelp@foodaddicts.org

Newcomers who inquire about FA meetings either by email or calling the FA office get directed to send an email to FAHelp@foodaddicts.org. A newcomer package and a list of gatherings will be provided.

Trifold

There are many questions regarding what can be changed on the trifolds. The panels where the meeting information resides can be changed. We cannot change the text. The WSI SGSC Core Committee did come up with new verbiage as we are not meeting in person at this time.
Approved content for the updated Trifolds
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, FA groups conform to local health guidelines regarding in-person meetings. To find out how FA fellows are connecting in your area (sometimes virtually), contact ….”

Serenity Prayer

March 21, 2021