Dear Friends,

As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, I wanted to pause to extend a warm thank you for your support of NEDA. On behalf of the Board and staff, we appreciate your dedication, your investments of time and resources, and your willingness to stand with us during change. 

Here's my thankful list (people and things) for 2021!

1. The Helpers  

Our NEDA Helpline Counselors and volunteers have responded to an unprecedented need for services—up 58% from the previous period. They are the front line of our mission and they serve us (and you) so well. Thank you for your professionalism, kindness and empathy. 

2. The Wise Ones

In a time of change, there are many people who want to provide insights. I’m thankful for the sage wisdom, imparted with directness and passion, from the wise ones. Your voices matter. Your perspective was and is critical. Thank you for caring enough to share.

3. The Engagers

Wow. The people who do and get others to do. Your drive and passion light up our mission. Your motivation and engagement with others is awe-inspiring. Thank you for not letting the virtual world shut off your light and wonder!  

4. The Investors

We are humbled by the investors in our mission—investors of skills, expertise, time and resources. Thank you for powering our work and ensuring that we are here today and tomorrow with the resources individuals and families need. 

5. The Clinicians and Treatment Centers

Mental health providers across the nation saw new highs in their patient loads. Thank you, clinicians, for attending to the unique needs of our individuals and families; for always taking a call on our behalf; and for extending yourself, above and beyond, to provide quality care. 

6. The Researchers

If we are going to change outcomes for our individuals and families, we must continue to innovate and make change.  Thank you to our independent, idea-driven, patient-centric researchers who have and will continue to make strides towards quality care and access for individuals and families with eating disorders.

7. The Storytellers, Artists, Musicians

How do people understand something that is in someone else’s head and manifests in their body? The storytellers, the artists, the musicians give life to these experiences in ways that help others understand the complexity of the journey. Thank you for giving beauty and rawness to open hearts and minds to these stories and to our mission.

8. The Changemakers

We need (and welcome) people who are relentless about making change; people who use a deep-rooted sense of empathy for others, identify a specific problem or opportunity to tackle, and give themselves permission to do something about it. I am thankful for the people who raised their voices and engaged in making change—even when we weren’t able to keep up with the pace at which they initiated it. We are thankful for you and we’ll try to meet your pace in 2022.

9. The Advocates and Activists

I am thankful for the diversity of people engaged in the NEDA mission. Embracing diversity means being a champion of inclusivity and at NEDA we support a community that is open and safe for everyone—representing all ethnicities, body types, and genders. The advocates and activists keep policy initiatives front and center—and they keep the pressure on ensuring access for all. 

10. The Courageous Ones

If you are an individual, family member or care giver on the eating disorder journey, no matter where you are on the path, you are courageous. Thank you for sharing your stories—stories of confronting fear, pain, danger, uncertainty and at times, intimidation. Thank you for sharing the fullness of your lives with us.  

What or who is on your thankful list? Drop me a note at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you. 

For now, please know, I’m thankful for YOU! And, on behalf of all of us at NEDA, we are thankful for your support of and interest in our mission.  

Sincerely, 

Elizabeth Thompson