The first meeting of Eating Disorders Anonymous took place 25 years ago in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. There were just three people, along with a lot of determination, trust, and humor.

“There were no food plans, no commitments or references to abstinence” (Eating Disorders Anonymous, pp. 253); the EDA Big Book was still over a decade away. Yet these EDA trailblazers slowly began to recover from their eating disorders by striving for balance and relying on a higher power, or–for one of them–a higher purpose.

As they grew stronger in their recovery, they put their time and energy towards carrying the message of EDA to others who struggled. Through these efforts, EDA has grown from that first meeting of three members to hundreds of meetings worldwide, available to people struggling with eating disorders in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Georgia (the country and the state), several countries in Europe, Australia, even South Africa, and beyond.

As we celebrate 25 years, let’s give thanks to each person–each and every member, including YOU—for being a part of EDA as we celebrate this milestone in the history of the fellowship.