EDA’s 5th Tradition states, “Each group has but one primary purpose, to carry its message of recovery to others with eating disorders.”

Carrying the message of recovery looks different for everybody. For many it means sponsoring. For those who are new to EDA, it might mean inviting a struggling friend to a meeting, serving as timer, leading a meeting, or serving as a group’s newcomer greeter–welcoming those who are even more new. Some EDA members will start a new meeting or spread the word in their hometown. Others volunteer as a GSR for a meeting, join a service committee, or serve as an officer on the General Service Board.

EDA continues to exist thanks to all those who carry the message through small and large acts of service every day. As we celebrate 25 years of EDA, may we continue to carry the message of recovery from eating disorders—or, doing so is not only each group’s primary purpose, but also our path to recovery.