NTY: A Mother’s Loss, a Daughter’s Story

Read the full article here

Documentary Website

ANDREW AVRIN sits on a beige couch in a nondescript room, a fruit still-life partly visible on the wall behind him, twisting his fingers while, off-camera, an unseen interviewer prompts him to talk about his sister, Melissa, who died last year at the age of 19 after a long battle with bulimia.


“There was no food in the house,” he says, looking off to the side as his eyes fill. “If I went out with friends, I could not bring leftovers home because they would be gone by the next morning.”

Once, he explains, in the middle of a bitterly cold night, he looked out the window and saw Melissa on the curb, going through the garbage. “I went outside and I yelled her name,” he recounts in the interview, his voice breaking. “Just the way she looked back at me — it was so empty, vacant. It was a deer in the headlights, but that doesn’t even explain it.”

It is a hard scene for anyone to watch, but even more so for the film’s producer — Judy Avrin, Melissa’s mother, who decided to make a documentary about her daughter’s life and, ultimately, her death.

People deal with grief in their own ways, and those who have been spared the loss of a daughter or a son can only imagine how they would choose to try to cope. For Ms. Avrin, coping meant confronting her anguish and trying to make something good come out of it.

The idea for a film didn’t occur to her immediately. In the weeks following Melissa’s death, Ms. Avrin mostly avoided her daughter’s bedroom, and tried to resume some semblance of normalcy, going back to work three days a week as the coordinator for a consortium of academic libraries in New Jersey. But one day she sat down to read Melissa’s leather-bound journal.

Someday ...
I’ll eat breakfast.
I’ll keep a job for more than 3 weeks.
I’ll have a boyfriend for more than 10 days.
I’ll love someone.
I’ll travel wherever I want.
I’ll make my family proud.
I’ll make a movie that changes lives.

The film, called “Someday Melissa” and now in the editing stages, has become for Ms. Avrin salve, distraction and cause — a way to get the word out to other families grappling with eating disorders that they are not alone; to sound the alarm that eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness; to help make sense of the senseless event that was losing her teenage daughter.

“I kept saying, ‘This is an amazing way for me to channel my grief,’ ” Ms. Avrin said. “But it also allowed me to put off grieving.”

Ms. Avrin, 56, got the idea for the film from one of Melissa’s therapists, Danna Markson, who introduced her to Jeffrey Cobelli, 27, a filmmaker. Over the last several months of working on the project, Ms. Avrin has come to know more than she ever intended to about eating disorders — how their seriousness has been underestimated, their treatment underinsured, their deaths underreported.

The process hasn’t been easy, and some, like her ex-husband, initially questioned the impulse to do it at all. Melissa’s best friend since first grade, Nicole Kendrick, who also suffers from an eating disorder, said she was incredulous when she first learned that Ms. Avrin was making the film. “I thought she was crazy,” Ms. Kendrick said. “I guess I didn’t realize how deep a mother’s love can run.”

But Ms. Avrin said that making the film has been easier than doing nothing at all. “I’ve never once thought this was more than I could bear,” she said, in an interview at her home in Totowa, N.J. “If anything, the more I continue, the more I know it’s the right thing to do.”

The difficulty of reliving her daughter’s decline has been mitigated by the public response. “Sometimes I think: ‘I’m a suburban mom. Who am I to think I could make a difference in the world?’ ” Ms. Avrin said. “But then I read the messages that keep coming in from people I know and people I don’t know who say Melissa’s story has motivated them to fight one more day.”

‘Top Model’ Becomes Model Spokesperson for National Eating Disorders Association

America’s Next Top Model Winner Whitney Thompson Joins NEDA’s Mission to Promote Positive Body Image and Awareness of Eating Disorders. National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is Feb. 21-27.

Whitney Thompson, winner of Cycle 10, America’s Next Top Model – and the show’s first “full-figured” victor – has become an official ambassador for the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), joining the battle against eating disorders and unrealistic “body-perfect” ideals.

Selected by MSNBC as one of 2008’s “12 Most Influential Women of the Year,” Thompson has graced the covers of numerous magazines including Seventeen and Plus. Now under contract with the prestigious Wilhelmina Model Management, she has been a spokesperson for Cover Girl Cosmetics, Fashion Bug Right Fit Jeans and Olitsky Smiles Cosmetic Dentistry, and has modeled for Forever 21, J.C. Penney, Saks Fifth Avenue and Woman Within, among others. She was also a spokesperson for Multiple Sclerosis in 2009 and is a motivational speaker for the promotion of positive body image.

Commented Thompson, “I am thrilled to be an ambassador for the National Eating Disorders Association. Since winning Top Model, I have heard from thousands of people all over the world who are dealing with eating disorders. I want to support those people affected and their families and I want to help people identify and resist the social stereotypes and images that lead to unhealthy behavioral patterns.”

Commented Lynn Grefe, CEO of NEDA. “We welcome the enthusiasm and energy of Whitney to our cause and the ability of her celebrity to bring a spotlight to a very serious and deadly subject. It is a particular concern within the modeling and fashion industries and the support of Whitney and our other ambassadors are key to changing the way people think about body image.”

Thompson joins other NEDA Ambassadors Emme, supermodel, TV personality, author and women’s advocate; fashion designer Bradley Bayou; celebrity jewelry designer Elizabeth Showers; actress Karla Mosley (Guiding Light); former professional tennis player Zina Garrison; motivational speaker and author Jenni Schaefer; author, documentarian and social theorist Jean Kilbourne, Ed. D.; “actionist,” author and advice columnist Jessica Weiner; personal life coach Kristen Moeller; and Matan Uziel, senior executive of Israeli modeling agency Verbmodels and founder of Warmhome Media Group, an international advertising network.

The announcement comes just prior to observance of the 23rd annual National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, Feb. 21-27, and Thompson is supporting the outreach with motivational speaking engagements on college campuses across the country. Additionally, Thompson recently launched Supermodel (www.shopsupermodel.com), a line of scented, soy-based massage oil candles and jewelry, and has committed $1 from each sale as a donation to NEDA.

Themed It’s Time to Talk About it! this year, NEDAwareness Week is the non-profit group’s largest public outreach campaign, held each year to raise consciousness across the country about the potentially life-threatening seriousness of eating disorders and the societal pressures, attitudes and behaviors which contribute to them. Also to spread a message of hope: Help is available, recovery is possible and those affected are not alone in their struggle!

Challenge Yourself! Operation Beautiful

This month, I can challenging myself and each of you to participate in Operation Beautiful.  You can participate by leaving an anonymous note for another woman.

Operation Beautiful is simple: all you need is a pen and a piece of paper.

Photo from operationbeautiful.com

homeThe MissionThe VideoPressMeet CaitlinParticipateRSS The Mission

From the creater, Caitlin:  "One of my biggest personal crusades is ending Fat Talk. If my little blog only does one productive thing, I hope it helps readers realize how truly toxic fat talk is — it hurts you emotionally, spiritually, and physically. I want to reach as many people as possible with my End the Fat Talk message. If you’ve never read my Fat Talk page, check it out here on Healthy Tipping Point."

"Recently, I stumbled upon the Gives Me Hope website, and I was inspired to start my own random act of kindness crusade — Operation Beautiful.

"I’ve begun leaving positive messages on the mirrors of public restrooms — at work, at the gym, at the grocery store. I scribble down whatever comes to mind — 'You are beautiful!' or 'You are amazing just the way you are!'

"My goal is to leave as many Operation Beautiful notes as I can. Maybe some people read them and just smile, but I bet some people are truly touched by the effort of a random stranger.

"If you want to join the mission, send me an e-mail at seebriderun@gmail.com with a photograph of your Operation Beautiful note or a description of your experience, and I’ll post it on my blog and on this page! If you’d like to be considered for the upcoming Operation Beautiful book, check out the Submissions page."

FREE Registration: NEDAwareness Week 2010 - February 21-27

NEDAwareness Week 2010: February 21-27

Theme: It's Time to Talk About It

Everyone can do...just one thing!

Register Now!

New: FREE Registration, free Educator Packet, Volunteer Speaker List, Activity-of-the-Day Schedule, and Collage Contest! Click here to purchase your kits and materials now.

View the electronic Educator Packet Table of Contents

View the Collage Contest Guidelines. The winning submission will be featured in the NORMAL In Schools Gala Fundraiser! Submission deadline is January 15, 2010.


Click here to view the list of NEDAwareness Week Partner Organizations (in formation). For information on becoming a Partner Organization, email sroman@myneda.org.


NEDAwareness Week reaches millions with messages of hope and recovery

The mission of NEDAwareness Week
Our aim of NEDAwareness Week is to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment. Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses — not choices — and it’s important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder.

What is NEDAwareness Week?
NEDAwareness Week is a collective effort of primarily volunteers, eating disorder professionals, health care providers, educators, social workers, and individuals committed to raising awareness of the dangers surrounding eating disorders and the need for early intervention and treatment.

How NEDAwareness Week Works
This year, NEDA is calling for everyone to do just one thing to help raise awareness and provide accurate information about eating disorders. NEDAwareness Week participants can choose from a huge range of ways to contribute: Distribute info pamphlets and put up posters, write one letter for Media Watchdogs, register as a Volunteer Speaker or host a Volunteer Speaker, coordinate a NEDA Walk, or arrange interactive and educational activities such as panel discussions, fashion shows, body fairs, movie screenings, art exhibits and more. As an official NEDAwareness Week participant you can be involved in any way that works with your schedule, resources, community, and interests. These events and activities attract public media attention - on local, national and international levels.

NEDAwareness Week Registration and Kits

FAQ for potential NEDAwareness Week participants

Find events & Volunteer Speakers in your area

We NEDAwareness!: Activity-of-the-Day Schedule


Thanks to our 2010 NEDAwareness Week Partners, more people are participating in NEDAwarness Week than ever before!


Our Partners are promoting NEDAwareness Week and encouraging their constituents to commit to doing just one thing! Partner Organizations are offering discounted merchandise, hosting webinars and group art projects, organizing fun events and more!


Platinum Sustaining Sponsors
Rader Programs
Remuda Ranch Programs

Gold Sustaining Sponsors
Rogers Memorial Hospital

Silver Sustaining Sponsors
CRC Health
Park Nicollet Melrose Institute

Steel Sustaining Sponsor
McCallum Place

Copper NEDAwareness Week Sponsors
Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt
Laureate Eating Disorders Program

Bronze Sustaining Sponsors
Cambridge Eating Disorder Center
Columbus Park Collaborative
Oliver-Pyatt Centers
Pine Grove Women's Center
The Renfrew Center

Eating Disorders Information Packet

I've been sending out a few school and sorority information packets each month.  If you would like a packet, I will send you one FREE OF CHARGE!  Just comment with your e-mail address, and I will be in touch.

Included in the packet are:
- ED related newletter or magazine (subject to availability)
- Introductory letter and contact card
- Can you eat too healthy?
- Harriet Brown's I-Love-My-Body Pledge
- Spanish language info sheet
- How to help your overweight child
- The truth about laxative abuse
- Exercise Prescription and eating disorders
- At Risk:  All cultural and ethnic groups
- Confront:  The plan for confronting someone you feel has an eating disorder
- Boys and eating disorders
- Book list
- Do's and don't's of helping someone recover from Binge Eating Disorder
- ANAD BMI testing in schools position statement
- FEAST press release
- Healthcare myths
- FEAST pamphlet
- Eating disorders ignored
- ANAD facts
- Physical consequences of eating disorders
- Symptoms lists and charts
- School program information
- ANAD pamphet

Friends Don't Let Friends 'Fat Talk': Tri Delta Launches 2nd Annual 'Fat Talk Free(R) Week' to Combat Negative Body Image Among Women

ARLINGTON, Texas, Oct. 19, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tri Delta, a leader among social Greek organizations, announced the return of 'Fat Talk Free Week' (Oct. 19-23), an international 5-day body activism campaign to draw attention to body image issues and the damaging impact of the 'thin ideal' on women in society. This 2nd annual public awareness effort was borne from Tri Delta's award-winning peer-led body image education and eating disorders prevention program, Reflections.


"Fat Talk" is classified as statements that explicitly or implicitly reinforce the unattainable thin-ideal standard of female beauty promoted by our culture. Next week, women are encouraged to avoid using phrases like: "I feel fat today;" "I can't eat that, it will make me fat;" "she shouldn't wear that it because it makes her look fat;" or even "Wow, you look great - have you lost weight?" While it may seem harmless, research indicates that a mere 3-5 minutes of engaging in this type of talk substantially increases body dissatisfaction (Stice, 2003).

"We developed Fat Talk Free Week and Reflections as the catalyst to ignite a revolution of body activism among women everywhere," said Jackye Clark, president of Tri Delta. "As an organization with thousands of women joining each year, we are in a very unique position to actively work toward eliminating the devastating pattern of fat talk and chasing the thin ideal."

Today in the U.S., more than 10 million women are battling an eating disorder, which is more than four times the number of women suffering from breast cancer. Further, recent studies have shown that more than two thirds of women ages 18-25 would rather be mean or stupid than be fat and over 50 percent would rather be hit by a truck (Martin, 2007).

Tri Delta co-developed Reflections with Carolyn Becker, Ph.D, FAED, of Trinity University, and the local sororities on that campus. Reflections not only reduces eating disorder risk factors and improves body image perceptions among participants, it also enables facilitators to gain valuable academic and leadership experience and promotes a more cohesive community of women on campus.

Since introducing Fat Talk Free Week and the official launch of Reflections in 2008, Tri Delta has reached millions of women internationally through a variety of outlets including a viral video campaign distributed via email and You Tube, campus activism events and community outreach, media exposure and more.

Major partnerships include the Academy of Eating Disorders (AED), National Organization for Women Foundation (NOW), National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and the Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness, among many other non-profit organizations and for-profit corporations.

Fat Talk Free Week 2009 kicks off with a humbling message about the serious downside of pursuing the thin ideal and the damaging nature of everyday 'fat talk', as told through a powerful viral video campaign. Additional highlights throughout the week will include:

* Daily E-mail Challenges with thought-provoking statistics and simple, immediate body activism exercises

* Sign the Fat Talk Free Week Promise online, donate your Facebook profile to the cause, and promote the issue virally through social media

* Body Image Activism Events on college campuses around the country

* Community Special Events, including the Re(Define) (Real)ity(TM) Fashion Show, sponsored by the Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness and Little in the Middle

For more information about sponsors, events happening throughout the week and a direct link to the video, visit: www.endfattalk.org

To date, Tri Delta has already rolled the program out to 22 Tri Delta chapters across the nation and over 34 campuses, impacting more than 6,600 women, with another 30 campuses scheduled by spring of 2010. Tri Delta is committed to educating at least 20,000 college women in coming years.


About Tri Delta
Having initiated over 200,000 women since its founding in 1888, Tri Delta is a leader among social Greek organizations through its passion for progress and visionary thinking. Through partnerships with nationally recognized organizations like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, award-winning publications like The Trident, and innovative collegiate and alumnae initiatives, Tri Delta is committed to leveraging our timeless values to revitalize the sorority experience. For more information, please visit www.tridelta.org or call 817-633-8001.

For more information about Reflections - visit www.bodyimageprogram.org

An Open Letter to Facebook

Dear Mr. Zuckerberg,

Today we were alerted to the presence of a quickly growing application titled, “How much should you weigh?” The application not only determines a user’s “acceptable” weight, but posts that information to the user’s page. While we understand this application is meant to be lighthearted, to a person struggling with body image and eating disorders, this can be a trigger to a downward spiral.

Eating disorders are a growing concern to men and women in the United States and all across the world. Applications like “How much should you weigh?” can cause those struggling with eating disorders to relapse into dangerous habits. One Facebook user told us that as someone recovering from an eating disorder she was vulnerable to this application, but was far enough down the path of recovery to pay it no attention.

ANAD takes a strong stance against evaluating a person’s “ideal” weight, even in the case of formal BMI testing. Since it is known that the concentration and layout of the body varies widely between ethnic groups, age groups, and especially genders, this is a measurement that is, by its definition, impossible to standardize. There is no test that can determine what one ought to weigh, just as there is no test that can determine who one ought to love, or how one ought to raise children. When an informal, unscientific application makes such claims, the effect can be injurious to anyone struggling with eating disorders. We ask you to remove this application as it promotes hazardous thinking and behavior concerning body image and eating.

Regards,


Laura Discipio, LCSW
Executive Director
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD)
www.anad.org

Get involved with a Local NEDA Event!

New Jersey Benefit Luncheon on Sept. 29th at Baltusrol featuring Diana Williams, WABC-TV Anchor, author Jenni Schaefer. Honorees Susan Maccia and Dawn Beye; NEDA Long Island Comedy Night October 9th; NEDA LI Public Conference on October 10th with Jenni Schaefer; and the 1st ever NEDA WALK in NYC’s Riverside Park on October 11th! Please read below for further details!

New Jersey Benefit Luncheon
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Baltusrol Golf Club
201, Shunpike Road
Springfield, NJ 07081

Special Honored Guest
Diana Williams of WABC-TV

Honorees
Dawn Beye & Susan Maccia

Featured Guest Speaker and Author
Jenni Schaefer (Author of Life Without ED)

Tickets can be reserved individually ($100 or $150 each) or by table(s) of 10 ($2500.00). Please RSVP no later than September 22, 2009 by contacting (908) 273-5382.

Reservations and checks can be mailed to:
NEDA Luncheon
PO Box 1505
Summit, NJ 07902-1505

NEDA Long Island Friday Night Fundraiser
October 9, 2009
8pm-11pm
NEDA-Long Island invites you to a comedy club for an entertaining night of comedy and laughs in support of NEDA-LI. To reserve a space at the Friday Night Fundraiser, print and mail this downloadable form. The Omni Building,333 Earle Ovington Blvd,Uniondale, Long Island, NY 11553

NEDA Long Island Public Conference and Luncheon
Saturday - October 10, 2009 - 10:00am-12:00pm (Conference)
12:45pm-2:30pm (Luncheon)

The Omni Building
333 Earle Ovington Blvd
Uniondale, Long Island, NY 11553
$75 Donation / $125 VIP Package

NEDA-Long Island and the Center for Change present: Goodbye ED, Hello Me: Life After an Eating Disorder featuring Jenni Schaefer, speaker, singer/songwriter, NEDA Ambassador and Sondra Kronberg, MS, RD, CDN, nutrition therapist, national speaker, NEDA-LI Liaison and recipient of NEDA 2004 Excellence in Practice Award.

Following the Conference, a Luncheon will be held, giving attendees a chance to meet Jenni Schaeffer, and Sondra Kronberg, MS, RD, CDN. Luncheon hosted by NEDA-LI and Avalon Hills Residential Eating Disorders Program.

Download and mail this form to reserve your space at this Conference and Luncheon!


NEW YORK CITY’s 1st Annual Walk

Riverside Park at West 83rd Street
Sunday, October 11th
Register Today at www.myneda.org

Eating woes patients bare their souls, help others

Friday, August 21, 2009

Becky Allen, Kristina Saffran and Liana Rosenman have lived through hell.

Each of the New York-area teens almost died from serious eating disorders and underwent extensive treatment to recover.

Now on the other side, they want to help others suffering from similar illnesses. The trio formed Project HEAL: Help to Eat, Accept and Live. The not-for-profit organization seeks to raise money for patients who can't afford treatment and to help "diminish society's obsession with body image by encouraging [people] to accept their bodies."

In less than a year, the group has awarded two treatment scholarships.

The girls recently shared their stories with about 40 patients and families of the Penn State Hershey Medical Center's Eating Disorders Program. They spoke at the invitation of their former doctor, Dr. Rollyn Ornstein, who joined the local recovery program last year.

On the group's Web site, Becky Allen remembers just wanting to "disappear."

"I never thought someone with an eating disorder could turn into a strong leader; I was not even sure someone with an eating disorder could recover," she wrote. "Now, I want to maintain this lifestyle so that I can be living proof to others and show that recovery and the regaining of a life is possible."

Kristina Saffran tells about being admitted to the hospital "at under 65 percent ideal body weight. There was fluid around my heart. Within a few days, I was told that I might have to be transferred to the ICU to drain it. This was a huge wake-up call for me. I could have died. I decided that I was going to give this a fighting shot."

Dr. Richard Levine, director of the Penn State program, said he hoped hearing the teens' real-life stories would help "inspire and empower patients and their families."

"When young people are in the midst of the illness, it's hard to see beyond to the horizon of recovery," Levine said.

"They're such vibrant young women with such wonderful goals and aspirations. Our patients can see how rich life can be in recovery in contrast to a world dominated by food: eating, restricting, vomiting, or overexercising. They can see there's a whole other world out there -- with places to go and people to meet -- besides just worrying about what's on their plate for lunch."

The Penn State Eating Disorders Program sees about 30 to 35 new patients each month, Levine said. The program had about 12,000 patient visits during fiscal year 2008.

Patients from throughout central Pennsylvania are treated for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and related illnesses, Levine said. They range in age from 8 to 40-plus and include boys, girls, men and women, he said.

"Everything is a team approach," Levine said. "We have medical specialists, psychiatrists, psychologists, dietitians, social workers, nurses and nurse practitioners. It involves the whole team."

For more information call the Penn State Eating Disorders Program at 531-7235 or visit Project HEAL.

Working Together for Recovery: Families and Professionals as Partners in Eating Disorder Treatment

Bethesda Marriott Hotel
5151 Pooks Hill Road
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
October 5, 2009, 1:30-5:00


The afternoon program brings together two leading researchers in the field of eating disorders to talk about how families and treatment providers can work together toward recovery. Learn about research into the neurobiology of eating disorders, and how parents and professionals can partner to best advantage. Maudsley Parents co-chair Harriet Brown tells her family's story of struggling with anorexia nervosa and offers strategies for families going through it. The program includes time for Q & As and offers an opportunity to meet and mingle over coffee. We hope to see you there!


Who should attend? Family members, friends, treatment providers, activists and others involved in outreach and advocacy



Walter Kaye, MD
New Insights into the Neurobiology of Eating Disorders: What Families Should Know
Genetically-influenced personality traits and powerful neurobiological drives play an important part in eating disorders. Understanding these processes helps families develop insights into the symptoms that occur in ED, so they are better able to understand, interact, and shape more adaptive coping strategies. In addition, such insights are important for providing the foundation necessary to develop more effective treatments. Read more about Dr. Kaye here.


Daniel le Grange, PhD
Family-Based Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa: The Maudsley Approach
Families can play an active and positive role in treatment for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Understand the scientific support for family-based treatment and learn specific strategies families can use. Read more about Professor le Grange here.


Harriet Brown, Maudsley Parents Co-chair
Family-based Treatment in Action: One Family's Experiences
A parent perspective on putting family-based treatment into action and ten things everyone should know about anorexia nervosa. Read more about Harriet Brown here.


Register online at maudsleyparents.org


Early bird registration through September 14 $25/person
Regular registration from September 15 $40/person

Mailing #2!

My second mailing of 23 information packets headed off to their destinations this morning. I can't believe I've sent almost 50 info packets already! I also put together some pamphlets with my card for my mom to hand out.

I've finished with the first NJ Catholic schools list, but I'm still filling in some of the gaps. I keep finding more schools! My next effort will be focused on NJ college sororities.

Mailed!

My first set of information packets was mailed yesterday! It took a while, but I did it!

First mailing!

My first mailing goes out this week! My business cards arrived yesterday, so the packets are now complete. Pictures and information about the packets soon to come!

Wondering if your school will be receiving a mailing? Check the Mailing Lists tag. I am open to suggestions of public and private schools I should reach out to.

Mailing Lists - Sent

SCHOOLS

Academy of the Holy Angels
Assumption Academy School
Bishop Eustance Prep School - Pennsauken
Bishop Guilfoyle Regional Catholic School
Camden Catholic - Cherry Hill
Christ the King - Haddonfield
De La Salle Christian Brothers - North Arlington
Delbarton School
Don Bosco - Ramsey
Glocester Catholic - Gloucester City
Holy Cross HS - Delran
Holy Family Academy
Holy Trinity School - Westfield
Immacualte Heart Academy
Lady of the Lake
Marist High School
Mary Help of Christians Academy
Mons. Donovan HS
Morris Catholic
Most Blessed Sacrament
Notre Dame HS - Lawrenceville
Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child
Our Lady of Sorrows - East Orange
Our Lady of Sorrows - Hamilton
Paul VI HS - Haddonfield
Queen of Peace
Resurrection School - Cherry Hill
Resurrection School - Jersey City
Sacred Heart HS - Vineland
Seton Hall Prep - West Orange
St. Andrew the Apostle - Clifton
St. Ann - Raritan
St. Anthony of Padua - Butler
St. Augustine Prep - Richland
St. James - Basking Ridge
St. Leo the Great - Lincroft
St. Margaret - Woodbury Heights
St. Mary's - Vineland
St. Peter's Prep - Jersey City
St. Rose of Lima - Haddon Heights
St. Rose of Lima - Short Hills
St. Stephen - Kearny
St. Vincent de Paul - Stirling
Union Catholic - Scotch Plains
Wildwood Catholic - North Wildwood




Sororities
Centenary College

Theta Epsilon Nu



Drexel University
Phi Sigma Sigma
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha
Chi Upsilon Sigma
Delta Phi Epsilon
Delta Phi Omega
Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Zeta
Phi Mu
Sigma Psi Zeta

Mailing Lists - Worked Up

Schools


Sororities

Bloomfield College
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
Chi Upsilon Sigma Sorority
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Lambda Theta Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

TCNJ
Delta Phi Epsilon
Delta Zeta
Kappa Delta
Phi Sigma Sigma
Sigma Sigma Sigma
Theta Phi Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha

Fairleigh Dickinson University
Alpha Epsilon Phi
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Sigma Tau
Delta Sigma Theta
Lambda Theta Alpha
Sigma Gamma Rho
Zeta Phi Beta

Kean Univeristy


Monmouth University
Alpha Sigma Tau
Alpha Xi Delta
Delta Phi Epsilon
Phi Sigma Sigma
Theta Phi Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha

Montclair State University
Alpha Iota Chi
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Chi Upsilon Sigma
Delta Phi Epsilon
Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Xi Delta
Lambda Tau Omega
Lambda Theta Alpha
Mu Sigma Upsilon
Omega Phi Chi
Phi Sigma Sigma
Sigma Delta Phi
Sigma Delta Tau
Theta Kappa Chi
Zeta Phi Beta

Mail Merge!

Re-learning how to use a Microsoft Mail-Merge was....interesting, to say the least. I wasted SO MUCH paper before I finally figured out what I was doing incorrectly! Happily, the first 20 introductory letters for my mailing are now written, printed, and in the process of being attacted to my packets. Satisfaction!

Preparations

I'm gearing up for my first mailing to New Jersey Catholic Schools. I decided to begin with Catholic schools because I am an alumna of them. I am in the process of assembling the packets, collecting addresses, and even having business cards made to include! I'll post a copy of the finished product after the first batch is mailed.

Volunteer Opportunities with ANAD

I'm currently working with the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders as a Community Resource Contact. My job is to bring packets of information about EDs to local schools, doctors offices and facilities, as well as to put sufferers and their families in contact with treatment providers. I also attend health fairs to help educate medical professionals about EDs and new developments in treating them.

It it really fulfulling - I know the information I'm providing is going to help other people sturggling with their EDs get started on a path to recovery.

ANAD provides a range of volunteer opportunities for people with a lot or a little time time to give. There is really something for everyone. All of the services ANAD provides are FREE, so volunteers help make the organization run smoothly.

For all my Greek readers: ANAD is one of the national philanthropies for Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority.

The ANAD Mission Statement:
The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, Inc. is a non-profit corporation that seeks to prevent alleviate the problems of eating disorders, especially including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and obesity.

ANAD strives to educate the general public and professionals in the healthcare field to be more aware of the illnesses relating to eating disorders and methods of treatment.

ANAD encourages and provides research to investigate the causes of eating disorders, methods of prevention, types of treatments and effectiveness, basic facts about those affected by eating disorders and to formulate relevant statistics relating to their illness.

ANAD seeks to act as a resource center, gathering and providing information about eating disorders, including sources and facilities for treatment.

ANAD encourages interested individuals and groups to join together in seeking a cure for the problem of eating disorders.

Finally, ANAD seeks to do any and all things necessary in order to fulfill the corporate purpose.

Volunteer Opportunities:
ANAD has ample opportunities for those volunteers who want to fight eating disorders.

Form or lead one of more than 260 ANAD support groups.

Become one of more than 600 ANAD resource people.

If you are located near Highland Park, IL volunteer at our home office.

If your college degree requires that you spend time as an intern for an organization such as ANAD, contact ANAD regarding Internships.

There are abundant opportunities to help with legislative/advocacy issues and for professionals who may wish to provide pro bono services on ANAD’s behalf.

Contact Information: http://www.anad.org/
Contact ANAD for help, support, or more information about eating disorders:
P.O. Box 7 Highland Park, IL 60035
Phone: 847-831-3438