Dear Friends of Feeding Matters,

The last time I wrote to you, I acknowledged that the season I was in felt difficult. It was a new year, but things didn’t feel new. Things felt challenging and daunting. Now, however, with the spring air, our upcoming conference, and the continued growth in the recognition of PFD, I am feeling renewed, as one should as we emerge from our winter slumber. As we make plans to enjoy the coming seasons, I am excited so share the plans we’ve made for Feeding Matters.

Last year we leveraged your input through community driven change questions and during the International Pediatric Feeding Disorder. We took that input and partnered with our organization’s leaders to develop our strategic plan through 2026. We know that PFD afflicts more than 1 in 37 children under the age of 5 in the United States each year, yet the disorder is still largely unknown and misunderstood. Therefore, this plan is focused on raising awareness of PFD by educating the healthcare community and informing the public about this often invisible disorder to support early identification.

To achieve our goal of PFD becoming a household name like other childhood conditions, we are focused on three interrelated activities:

• Digital First: Spread PFD throughout digital platforms worldwide so audiences know PFD and Feeding Matters, and have the necessary resources to support their family or professional life.
• Community Driven: Leverage an impassioned base of families, healthcare professionals, and community members to ensure our content, awareness, and consensus efforts are in line with the community’s needs. This includes pursuing additional research in the field and supporting the early identification of PFD.
• Targeted Media Outreach & Storytelling: Tell the PFD story through the media and additional means so that PFD awareness reaches those who are not directly touched by the disorder. Leverage grassroots outreach to build impactful partnerships that grow awareness with the general public.

These efforts will require the involvement of our entire PFD community. We will continue to share updates with you and seek feedback. Everything we have accomplished as an organization thus far has been the result of an incredible amount of passion, commitment, and collaboration from our supporters. Accomplishing this plan will be no different. Over the next several months (and years!), we will be asking for your help, but one of the most vital things you can do is to please follow us on social media and like, comment, or share to help us spread our message. This work happens because of YOU and we are excited to step into the future together.

Best wishes,

Jaclyn Pederson, MHI
Chief Executive Officer