Project HEAL Announces 9 Virtual Events with 20+ Partners for HEAL Week

The 2026 campaign brings together clinicians, researchers, artists, activists, advocates, and individuals in eating disorder recovery to discuss barriers to healing.

NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Project HEAL, the only national nonprofit dedicated to removing systemic, healthcare, and financial barriers to eating disorder treatment, today announced plans for HEAL Week 2026, taking place Monday, October 5, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026. The campaign, titled Healing Happens Together, will bring together 21 leaders in the eating disorder recovery space to discuss barriers to healing, share how to support loved ones with eating disorders, raise funds, and heal together in community, across 9 virtual events.

The flagship event series — Lunch & Learn panels, taking place each day from Monday, October 5, 2026 through Friday, October 9, 2026 from 1-2pm ET — will examine the unique barriers high-weight individuals, athletes, BIPOC individuals, LGBTQ+ individuals, and Medicaid/Medicare recipients face to healing. Designed for clinicians, caregivers, and community leaders, attendees will leave with tools and strategies to support the people in their lives with eating disorders. The virtual Healing Hour activity series, taking place daily from Monday, October 5, 2026 through Thursday, October 8, 2026 from 7-8pm ET, will bring together individuals in eating disorder recovery to explore body image, decolonize self-care, engage in joyful movement, and connect through art.

"Healing does not happen in isolation," says Dr. Whitney Trotter, Chief Executive Officer at Project HEAL. "Too often, people living with eating disorders are not only fighting the illness itself, but also navigating systems that make it harder to access the care, resources, and community they need to recover. HEAL Week is an opportunity to bring our community together to name those barriers, learn from one another, and take meaningful action. At Project HEAL, we believe that where you live, your body size, your identity, your insurance, and your financial circumstances should never determine whether you have the opportunity to heal. This week reminds us that recovery is possible and that we are stronger when we pursue it together."

Project HEAL is also excited to announce the simultaneous launch of their new monthly giving program, The Care Collective! Up to 5.5 million people in the U.S. struggle with an eating disorder every year but 77% never receive treatment. "Monthly donors play a vital role in our ability to connect an increasing number of people to care each year — more than 3,500 in 2025!" says Tara Criscuolo, Senior Marketing & Development Manager at Project HEAL. " With each additional gift, we're able to say yes to another program applicant who would otherwise go without treatment." As a nonprofit organization with no government funding, Project HEAL's nationwide free programs are sustained by generous supporters who are committed to creating a world where everyone has the chance to heal.

Learn more and sign up for HEAL Week events at theprojectheal.org/heal-week. To help connect people to eating disorder care every month, join The Care Collective at theprojectheal.org/the-care-collective.

Thank you to The Emily Program, NewCircle, Monte Nido, Andy's Big Heart, Athlete EDGE at EDCare, and Nutribullet for sponsoring HEAL Week 2026.

About Project HEAL

Project HEAL is on a mission to break down systemic, healthcare, and financial barriers to eating disorder healing. Through direct support, education, and advocacy, the nonprofit helps people navigate the complexities of care while working to transform the systems that created those barriers in the first place. Project HEAL does this by providing five free direct services to those in need of eating disorder healing, and expanding access to identity-affirming care through its clinician training program. Founded in 2008, Project HEAL remains the only major U.S. nonprofit focused on equitable access to eating disorder treatment. Learn more in their latest Impact Report and by following Project HEAL on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:
Tara Criscuolo
Senior Marketing & Development Manager
[email protected]

SOURCE Project HEAL