Community Councils

Feeding Matters has formed community councils in Ohio, California, and Arizona. These states have been determined based on increased engagement across our volunteer, donor, conference, and family community.  The community councils utilize a grassroots effort to raise awareness and raise funds for pediatric feeding disorder (PFD).

California Community Council

Goals
Apply quality improvement models to assess issues, analyze the current state, identify inefficiencies, and propose solutions. Engage more family members to bring a family-centered perspective to the council. Strengthen community outreach and raise PFD awareness among medical practitioners, emphasizing the PFD diagnosis and ICFQ screening tool for early detection. Increase awareness through forums, online platforms, newsletters, social media, and representation at conferences.

2024 Accomplishments

  • California Community Council Chair Nicole Rostoker represented Feeding Matters at the Southern California Gut Club on September 13 in Anaheim, CA. Invited by the Children’s Hospital of Orange County’s inpatient feeding team, Nicole promoted education for gastrointestinal doctors and nurse practitioners on PFD, highlighted Feeding Matters’ mission, and introduced the PFD Alliance app.
  • As part of their Virtual Pediatric Lecture Series, Children’s Hospital of Orange County offered an insightful lecture on PFD, presented by member Joanna Yeh, MD (Pediatric Gastroenterology) and Cindy S. Kim, MD (Pediatric Psychology) aimed at recognizing, diagnosing, and managing PFD by investigating underlying medical contributors, screening for maladaptive behavior problems, and recognizing problematic parental-child interactions.
  • Children’s Hospital of Orange County hosted a feeding reunion for past patients on the weekend of November 2, 2024.
  • Special recognition goes to Vanessa Galeano, SLP for her remarkable efforts in advancing care for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) patients at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles! As the primary dysphagia therapist working with this group each week, she has done an outstanding job educating their medical teams on best practices to support these patients.
  • The California Community Council will present a lightning talk at the 12th Annual International Pediatric Feeding Disorder Conference (IPFDC) in Phoenix, AZ, February 21-25, 2025.

Ohio Community Council

Goals
Increase awareness through newsletters, social media, and participation in at least two local conferences. Host one fundraising event and collaborate with Eat, Play, Read—a pediatrician-led group engaging multidisciplinary professionals—to explore how Feeding Matters and the council can contribute.

2024 Accomplishments

  • Member Cheryl Boop represented Feeding Matters at the Ohio AAP meeting on October 18 and 19, 2024, in Columbus, OH.
  • Ohio Community Council Chair Emily Adams hosted her annual Fight for PFD fundraiser in Columbus, OH, on Saturday, May 17, 2024, and presented at a two-day summit at the Cleveland Clinic.
  • Member Lisa Herbert and Occupational Therapist with ProMedica shared information on PFD and Feeding Matters at the 2024 Autism Society of NW Ohio Annual Walk on October 27.
  • Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) is hoping to further the discussion of PFD and ARFID by offering a chat on the subject during their aerodigestive conference in 2025. They are also developing a PFD worksheet for patient education.

Join the council

Role description:

  • Attend community council meetings (1-2 hours every month)
  • Assist with cultivation/solicitation of prospective donors (approximately 1-2 hours a month).
  • Attend community activation and awareness events

We are currently looking for council members in the following locations. Apply today to serve in your
area! Interested in starting a community council in your area? Let us know!