The Public Information and Professional Outreach (PIPO) committee of the Virtual Region primarily focuses on attracting newcomers and educating professional service providers about recovery from compulsive eating.
During the upcoming Virtual Region Convention, Feb 20-22, 2026, they will host hourly newcomer meetings in various languages and offer a welcome center where volunteers provide personal guidance and scholarship opportunities.
They also host regular quarterly Newcomer Open Houses.
Beyond events, the committee develops public service announcements, provides translated radio shorts, and facilitates outreach to service providers including physicians to build relationships and provide education . They also support local intergroups by offering resources for social media marketing and public relations to help spread the message more effectively.
Newcomer Resources
Convention Newcomer Meetings – Feb 20-22, 2026
During the convention, the PIPO committee hosts “pro bono” newcomer meetings that run typically every hour and occasionally on the half hour.
- Hosting and Format: These meetings are hosted by various intergroups within the virtual region. While the PIPO committee provides the time slots, the individual intergroups have the autonomy to run the meetings according to their own preferences. However, there are certain rules such that no Seventh Edition may be requested during these sessions.
- Language and Accessibility: Meetings are being held in multiple languages, including Spanish, Greek, French, and German. While the region does not provide professional translators, attendees can use closed captioning to read what is being said in different languages. To facilitate this, hosting groups are required to provide a translator at the Welcome Center to help direct attendees to the correct meeting.
- The Welcome Center: Also known as the Newcomer and Returning Fellow Center is typically open for nine hours a day. Beyond scheduled meetings, volunteers are available to take individuals into breakout rooms for brief, private conversations about OA to help them get reacclimated.
- Scholarships: The committee also uses this space to provide information and applications for scholarships, enabling newcomers to attend the main convention.
Quarterly Newcomer Open Houses
Outside of the convention cycle, PIPO conducts Quarterly Newcomer Open Houses, which serve as the primary public relations tool for the virtual region. These meetings are designed as “drop-in” sessions for newcomers, returning fellows, and even service providers. They usually take place around January at the convention, May and September, baring conflicts, and are approximately 12 hours on a Saturday and 4 hours on a Sunday. Contact PIPO if interested.
Other Projects
- Professional Outreach: A key goal of PIPO is to build connections with physicians and healthcare providers and be a resource to professionals, if they wish to refer patients/clients to OA if they deem it beneficial to them.
- Participation Guidelines: Service providers are reminded that they are there to listen and participate in the meeting experience rather than to “sell their wares” or promote their own services.
- Resource Distribution: PIPO provides translated radio shorts and public service announcements (PSAs) to help intergroup and professionals to reach their local communities.
If you are interested in joining the Committee visit their page. If you want to check out their available public service announcements (PSA)
©2026 Experience Strength & Hope Newsletter,
All rights reserved. Proudly sponsored by OA Foot Steps VIG #09670.
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