When you hear about performing service, you may think, “Wow. Working Twelve Steps and giving service? That’s a lot!” Rest assured, the last thing we at OA want to do is to overwhelm you. Service can be as simple as you want it to be. Here are some examples:

• Show up. Attending a meeting is service.
• Participate in the meeting. Welcome newcomers, read or share your experience, strength, and hope on the topic.

When you are ready for more:

• Host or co-host the Zoom meeting. Our tech team provides training. Zoom host training
• Moderate or lead the meeting. The leader/moderator is a member who follows the format to keep the meeting on topic and on time.
• Volunteer for other service positions. Meetings — both on Zoom and in-person — have continuing needs for service as meeting timer, speaker getter, newcomer greeter, treasurer, and more. Consider volunteering once or make a commitment for a rotation.
• Participate in group conscience. There are always different ways of doing things and the meeting members decide together what is best for the group.

Providing service opens up a world beyond you, while also giving you a way to carry our message to others.

The best part? There’s a magical thing that happens when you serve others; you end up giving yourself a gift too.

When Can I Give Service?​

You can give service right away. Carrying the message to the compulsive eater who still suffers is the basic purpose of our Fellowship; therefore, it is the most fundamental form of service. Any form of service—no matter how small—which helps reach a fellow sufferer adds to the quality of our own recovery. Getting to meetings, putting out chairs, putting out literature, and talking to newcomers are all ways that any OA member can give service (adapted from Tools of Recovery). Ask your group, intergroup/service board, or region about requirements for service beyond the group level.

Service Opportunities

Be an Intergroup Representative

Every OA meeting in San Diego may have a voting Intergroup Representative. This service position involves:

• taking the meeting group conscience on issues affecting the whole fellowship
• bringing concerns to the monthly Intergroup Meeting (usually the first Saturday of each month at 2:00 pm)
• bringing back information and reporting to the meeting

Individual groups appoint their own Intergroup Representatives. Tell the Intergroup Secretary who your meeting’s Intergroup Representative is to get on the meeting notification mailing list: info@oasandiego.org,

Answer the Recovery Line

You could be the first contact for a suffering compulsive overeater or a potential new member. Our Recovery Line is a call forwarding service that ensures that anyone who dials us is connected to a live member of our fellowship. There is no abstinence requirement for this service.

If you would like to participate in this valuable service, the Recovery Line will be routed to your phone for a 24-hour period. We maintain 30-35 volunteers at all times, so that it is only necessary for each to take one day per month, but we welcome a commitment of multiple days when possible.

This service involves being available to answer live calls during your shift and provide basic information. Pass on any questions or situations requiring action by others to a designated Service Board member who will take it from there.

For more information or to be added to the list, please contact volunteer@oasandiego.org.

Serve on the Intergroup Service Board​

The Service Board of the San Diego County Intergroup, Inc. meets on the first Saturday of each month from 12:45-1:45 pm. Elected Service Board Members meet to discuss fellowship business. Everyone in the OA Fellowship is welcome to attend; voting is reserved for elected Service Board Members. To hold a Service Board position, a member must maintain his/her abstinence, each person being the sole judge of his/her abstinence.

For more information contact Service Board Chair Kathy H. at chair@oasandiego.org.