Public Information/Professional Outreach

Purpose:  

The purpose of the Public Information/Professional Outreach Committee is to carry the message of recovery to compulsive eaters who still suffer; and to reach out to those who may otherwise not hear about our program.  

OA’s 12 step program of recovery can offer hope to a fellow sufferer by attraction, not promotion. We attract newcomers when we inform the public about the program (aka: Public Information). Moreover, we attract newcomers when we provide OA information to the medical community, for example: physicians, nurses, counselors (including, but not limited to eating disorder counselors), nutritionists, therapists, psychologists, etc. who can bring awareness of the OA program to their clients or patients (aka: Professional Outreach).  

What does a PIPO Committee do?:   

The following are some ways in which the PIPO Committee informs the local community about the OA fellowship: 

• Arranging for booths at local health fairs and tradeshows to display and distribute OA literature and pamphlets. 
• Displaying OA’s Public Information posters onto local bulletin boards (ie: libraries, supermarkets, churches, media outlets, etc.) 
• Arranging for Public Service Announcements (PSA’s) via the media (ie: newspapers, TV, radio, the internet (including social media, etc.) 
• Sending speakers to talk to community groups.  
• Arranging for an OA Public Information announcement on an overhead Bulletin Board. 
• Reaching out to Educational Institutions to attract young people.  

The following are some ways in which the PIPO Committee informs the Professional Community about the OA fellowship: 

• Distributing OA pamphlets to the medical community, including, but not limited to distributing OA’s Professional Folders (sku# 870)  
• Placing OA’s Public Information posters and/or OA pamphlets in hospital lobbies and healthcare provider’s waiting rooms. 
• Reaching out to Bariatric Medical Professionals by providing OA pamphlets; including various testimonial letters written by OA members who were bariatric patients prior to finding OA. Their testimonials briefly describe ways in which the OA program gives them the added emotional and spiritual support that the surgery jump started.  
• Organizing an OA meeting within a healthcare facility. 

As described in our literature book, “The Twelve Steps and Twelve Tradition of OA, 2nd Edition”, page 86 -87 (Step 12), “Those of us who live this program don’t simply carry the message; we are the message. Each day that we live well, we are well, and we embody the joy of recovery, which attracts others who want what we’ve found in OA. We’re always happy to share our secret: The Twelve Steps of Overeaters Anonymous, which empower each of us to live well and be well, one day at a time.” 

Disclaimer: All literature, pamphlets, public information posters, etc. noted above are distributed free of charge; and no member serving on any of NFI’s service committees receives payment for their OA service work. We are self-supporting through the generous contributions provided by our members in the OA fellowship. 

Additional Links:  

• NFI’s PIPO Newsletter Articles 
• NFI’s PIPO Announcements  
• WSO Guidelines for “Carrying the Message”: https://media.oa.org/app/uploads/2021/08/26124149/carrying-the-message-guide.pdf  
• Soar 8 PIPO Website: https://oaregion8.org/committees/pipo/  
• WSO PIPO Website:  

https://oa.org/service-bodies/public-information-and-professional-outreach/