2024 ANAD Impact Report
By Jason Wood, Director of Community Engagement
Because of your support, the ANAD community served more than 17,000 individuals so far this year. That’s an INCREASE OF 70% from just one year ago!
Mentorship & Helpline Impact
In our last impact report, we shared the exciting update that we were adding a SECOND LINE to the HELPLINE. In its first full year, our incredible peer support volunteers answered more than double the number of calls compared to 2023!
Our PEER MENTORSHIP PROGRAM expanded in 2024 with a generous gift from Ann Kuster Hull and Hull House Real Recovery. In August, we welcomed several of their peer supporters into our mentorship community.
Just a few months later, we announced that our friends at Rock Recovery would transition their existing Peer Mentorship Program to ANAD in a move that will STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY and allows for even more individuals to receive the support they deserve.
We’d also like to give a shoutout to Helpline and Referral Team Program Coordinator Leela Hauze who developed a new TREATMENT RESOURCE GUIDE for individuals requesting treatment referrals through our helpline. This document empowers these individuals and can help them identify additional treatment options that meet their needs.
Support Group Impact
ANAD Support Groups provide a space where everyone in the room has a common experience. Over the past year, we’ve taken several steps to create more spaces for hope and healing.
The introduction of breakout rooms allowed us to DOUBLE the number of people we can serve from 20 to 40 for select peer support groups. Taking advantage of this features means we are now able to serve more people while still ensuring a comfortable space where all attendees are seen and heard.
Thank you to our program coordinator Athena and all our wonderful volunteer support group leaders for making this possible!
We also enhanced our POP-UP SUPPORT GROUP SERIES with more than 20 new support group offerings for specific identities, experiences, backgrounds, and holidays.
We are thrilled to share that one of these pop-up support groups is now part of recurring offerings! This fall, our CHRONIC-ILLNESS/LONG-TERM DISABILITY group joined the line-up and is now available every other week to those in need.
Engagement & Connection Highlights
Diversity and inclusion are crucial in overcoming the barriers to eating disorder support and care. As an organization, we are committed to making sure all voices, backgrounds, and identities are represented.
In February, the cast of ANAD PRESENTS THIS IS MY BRAVE shared their recovery stories through song, dance, poetry, and essay. These inspiring individuals reminded us that while eating disorders can happen to anyone and no two experiences are the same, there can be healing when we come together.
Later in the year, ANAD announced the formation of the COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE to assist in the building of a community that is representative and supportive of all who struggle with eating or body concerns. And they’ve done just that through hosting events and organizing awareness campaigns like Black Providers Panel, Eating Disorders & Chronic Illness/Disabilities, and Body Image in the LGBTQ+ Community.
This fall, we joined with the Delta Phi Epsilion chapter at University of Illinois-Chicago to host a NATIONAL CANDLELIGHT VIGIL in remembrance of those who have passed away and in honor of those who are currently in their recovery journey. With special guest speakers like Jack and Linda Mazur from The Emilee Connection and author Ryan Sallans, it was an evening that truly lit the way for others to heal.
The ANAD SCHOOL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM is designed to empower students to become advocates and be the change in their school community. We’re just a couple of months into the program and are already blown away by the work these ambassadors are doing!
With this new initiative, ANAD launched revamped versions of our educator, school social worker, and coach approach guides as well as an all-new SOCIAL MEDIA APPROACH GUIDE with our friends at All Bodies Coalition to help students navigate the challenges and pressures of social media.
And that's not all!
Make sure to check out the entire 2024 ANAD Impact Report now for more stats, highlights, and features!
Thank you again for making all of this possible!
