For Connection Reps

I am the meeting Connection Rep…now what?

You are the eyes and ears of Connection! At your meeting, you are the best Connection connection.

The Connection committee publishes 10 issues (eight single and two double) each year with beautiful art and inspiring stories of recovery. FA regularly needs magazine subscriptions, art and images, and story submissions. As your meeting’s Connection rep, your primary role is to be the link between the Connection committee and the fellowship.

Where do I start?

Read this page for resources
Review and point members towards the FAQs.
Check out the Service Position Requirements.
Attend the monthly drop-in videoconference resource call, which changes each month to accommodate different time zones.
- Ask questions and share your experience with other Connection Reps.
- Third Sunday of each month.
- Check the FA Newsletter for monthly topics, resource call log-in info., and meeting times.
Confirm that your meeting has one or more subscriptions and, if not, bring this up at your next business meeting.
Suggest that your meeting include reading from Connection as a monthly format option. This is a great way to raise awareness about the benefits and value of the magazine.

Subscriptions

Subscribing is easy. Go to the subscription page or log in to your profile and look for the subscriptions header.

Print subscriptions can be purchased for meetings, as gifts, or for your own enjoyment.
Depending on your in-person meeting size, buy one or more meeting subscriptions, put them on the literature table, and sell individual issues. Issues older than 6 months can be given away to newcomers. Digital subscriptions currently cannot be purchased as gifts, but anyone can buy a digital subscription.
Connection Reps for videoconference meetings purchase a digital subscription in their own name and then screen share at the meeting or download their PDF. Please read How to Subscribe to Connection & Use Connection at FA Meetings.
Connection Reps for telephone meetings purchase a digital or print subscription in their own name and read at the meeting or download their PDF and send it to the leader of the meeting. Please read How to Subscribe to Connection & Use Connection at FA Meetings.

Transferring Subscriptions to the New Connection Rep

When the Connection Rep changes, ask the meeting contact to submit a change request through the FA website. Read Directions for Submitting Meeting Changes for more details. A print subscription will automatically transfer to the new Connection Rep.
For digital subscriptions, contact web@foodaddicts.org to update the email address.

Submissions

Encourage FA members with 90 days of abstinence to submit art and stories. Refer to the Writing Guidelines and Art Guidelines for more information.

How do I encourage members to submit articles?

Writers should all visit the Writing Guidelines page. Writers should submit their article (aim for 800-1,300 words) using one of the submission forms below:
- Gmail Users: use our automated Articles Submission form
- NON-Gmail Users: use our manual Articles Submission form
FA Connection writing coaches are available to help writers with stories for the magazine and can be reached at writingcoaches@foodaddicts.org. If people ask for assistance, you can share this email address.

How do I encourage members to submit art and images?

They should visit the Artist Guidelines. It has everything they need to know.
For art and images, use one of the submission forms below:

Gmail Users: use our automated Art and Images Submission form
NON-Gmail Users: use our manual Art and Images Submission form

What do I say at the Business Meeting?

All FA members with 90 days or more of abstinence can submit to Connection.
We have guidelines and coaches to help you with your writing and submissions
Share one or more Writing Prompts.
Ask someone to commit to submitting art or writing a story by the next business meeting. Let them know we have writing coaches if they need help with ideas or to read a draft, and art help as well. Demonstrate how the QR codes in the magazine work.
Request an online writing session at writingsessions@foodaddicts.org for your meeting or a group of meetings.
If your in-person meeting uses Connection as a format option, remind members during announcements that the magazine depends on their subscriptions and stories.

Helpful Tips

For in-person meetings, print out Connection bookmarks, cut apart, and place on the literature table.

Don’t do a hard sell. Hold up a copy and show off the magazine.
If you hear great sharing or someone’s story at a meeting, suggest to the member privately that they write it for Connection.
If you know an FA member who is an artist or photographer, encourage them to submit their art.
In your outreach calls, remind people of the tremendous service they are doing for our worldwide fellowship by subscribing and submitting to Connection.

If you have any questions or need further information, please email the Connection Rep Coordinator at connectionrep@foodaddicts.org. Your feedback is important to us.