12 STEP WITHIN: Working our program and assisting others in the age of COVID-19

A message from our Intergroup Chair

Hello Everyone,

Proscribed from gathering for one or more reasons, we battle with loneliness and isolation. Rather than help, social media and the news seem to only add to our distress. Many of us, myself included, would prefer to stay in bed, under the covers, with a pillow protecting our head rather than walk through what this year has to offer.  However, these days require that we get up, suit up, and move through. As 12-Step people, we are called to work with others as a way of helping ourselves.


At the May 2020 Delegate Meeting of the Foothill Intergroup of Overeaters Anonymous (which actually took place on June 1st), a discussion was held about how to help others and ourselves during this extremely challenging time.  Here is a list of suggestions. As always, use what you like and leave the rest...

1. Since most if not all meetings are being held online, we are being offered the opportunity to ‘travel’ by visiting other intergroups.  Find meetings usually held in far-flung places and attend them.  At the OA Region 2 website, you will find a list of Region 2 intergroups, including links to help you access meetings in Nevada, Hawaii, California, and Northern Mexico. 
2.  Find a texting or Skyping partner and meet on a regular basis. Use technology to actually see the person in addition to listening to his or her voice.
3. Try a podcast. The Foothill Intergroup website has a page dedicated to podcasts around the country and the globe. The Los Angeles Intergroup has large archives of recorded speakers from some of their popular speaker meetings; and OA.org has recordings and videos to help with specific areas of recovery. 
4. Reach out to someone that you usually don’t talk with. Try to connect with a larger group of people on a regular basis. You might also try starting a ‘telephone tag’ chain, where each person then calls a new person, and so on. 
5. Check out the new OAFIG blog at https://oafootnotes.blogspot.com. Daniel H. and Stacey F. have done a tremendous job of setting this up.  If you want to take this a step further, perhaps you might write an article for posting.

If you have other ideas, please feel free to reach out to your Intergroup Delegate to share them. OAFIG remains committed to helping us all recover together, one day at a time.

-K.B.