TRUSTED CONTENTFree Eating Disorder Resources (2026)
Cost is one of the biggest reasons people with an eating disorder go without support — but a real amount of help genuinely doesn’t require insurance or payment: free helplines staffed by real people, free weekly support groups, free peer mentorship, and organizations that place people into free or sliding-scale treatment. This page organizes what’s actually free, who runs it, and how to reach it. For prevalence and treatment-cost data, see our eating disorder statistics page; for broader mental health support, see our mental health disorder statistics page.
Where to start
- In crisis right now: 988 (call or text) or Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741) — free, 24/7, not eating-disorder-specific but staffed and immediate.
- Want to talk to a real person about an eating disorder, not in crisis: the Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline (866-662-1235) or the ANAD helpline (1-888-375-7767) — both free, both staffed by people, not bots.
- Can’t afford treatment: Project HEAL’s Treatment Placement Program connects people to free or sliding-scale care based on financial need.
- Supporting a loved one, especially as a parent: F.E.A.S.T. runs a free caregiver forum, email support, and peer mentorship — no cost, no waitlist to join the forum.
- Want ongoing peer connection, not a one-off call: ANAD’s free recovery mentor program and both ANAD’s and the Alliance’s free weekly support groups.
Jump to a section
Free helplines & crisis support
Two organizations run free, human-staffed eating disorder helplines: the National Alliance for Eating Disorders and ANAD. Neither charges for a call, and neither requires insurance or a diagnosis to reach out.
| Line | Contact | Hours | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline | (866) 662-1235, or text ALLIANCE to 741-741 | Mon–Fri, 9am–7pm ET | Anyone with an eating disorder concern; staffed by licensed therapists |
| ANAD Helpline | 1-888-375-7767 | Mon–Fri, 9am–9pm CT (messages outside those hours are returned) | Anyone navigating a difficult relationship with eating or body image, no diagnosis required; phone only, volunteer-staffed. A separate ANAD team also handles treatment referrals. |
| 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | Call or text 988 | 24/7 | Anyone in a mental health crisis, not eating-disorder-specific |
| Crisis Text Line | Text HOME to 741741 | 24/7 | Anyone in crisis who'd rather text than talk |
Sources: allianceforeatingdisorders.com; anad.org; 988lifeline.org; crisistextline.org. Hours and numbers are confirmed as of this page's last review — always check the organization's own site before relying on a listed hour, since these do change.
NEDA's national helpline shut down in June 2023 after a brief, troubled attempt to replace it with an AI chatbot. NEDA's website still hosts useful screening tools and educational material, but it is not a live helpline anymore — for a person to talk to, use the Alliance or ANAD numbers above instead.
Free & low-cost treatment access
Project HEAL's Treatment Placement Program connects people who can't otherwise afford care with free or sliding-scale treatment, specifically for people facing financial limitations, insurance barriers, or weight discrimination that's kept them out of care. Cash assistance, insurance help, and scholarship-based programs from other organizations fill in around the edges of that one.
Project HEAL — Treatment Placement Program
Matches applicants with a diagnosed eating disorder to a network of providers — inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP, outpatient therapy, nutrition, and medical care — at free or sliding-scale rates. Applications are reviewed during the first two weeks of each month; approval isn't guaranteed given demand.
theprojectheal.org/apply-for-treatment-access
Project HEAL — Cash Assistance Program
One-time grants toward treatment-related costs that insurance won't touch — deductibles, copays, and travel to care. Uses the same application as the Treatment Placement Program above; award depends on fund availability.
theprojectheal.org/cash-assistance-program
Project HEAL — Insurance Resource Hub
Free downloadable appeal templates (single case agreements, residential appeals, nutrition therapy appeals) plus 1:1 insurance navigation support for anyone who applies through the Treatment Access application.
theprojectheal.org/insurance-resource-hub
WithAll — Recovery Support Program
Direct $500–$1,000 grants, no repayment, toward groceries, rent or mortgage, and lodging for people currently in intensive eating disorder treatment. Its Recovery For All Fund prioritizes BIPOC applicants.
withall.org/recovery-support-program
Manna Fund — National Scholarship Program
Scholarships for inpatient or residential treatment at negotiated reduced rates with partner facilities. A Clinical Advisory Committee reviews applications on a quarterly cycle; approved applicants are placed as soon as a decision is made. US residents only.
mannafund.org/treatment/national-scholarship-program
ANAD Treatment Directory
A free, self-serve directory of treatment providers, filterable by location, eating disorder type, and insurance. It's peer-led — listings aren't clinician-vetted, and providers self-attest to having no disciplinary history. ANAD's separate email-based referral request path is currently paused while the team works through demand; the searchable directory itself stays live.
anad.org/treatment-directory
findEDhelp.com (Alliance for Eating Disorders)
A free, searchable national database of treatment providers and practitioners, maintained by the National Alliance for Eating Disorders. The Alliance doesn't endorse any provider it lists.
findedhelp.com
Project HEAL's free support group directory
A curated directory of 50+ free eating disorder support groups, organized by category — larger bodies, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, age, Spanish-speaking, men, meal support, family, disability, athletes — hosted by partner organizations. You register directly with whichever group you pick.
theprojectheal.org/free-eating-disorder-support-groups
The Kirsten Haglund Foundation has historically funded higher-level-of-care scholarships, but that program is currently on hold pending funding. Its Virtual Transitional Living Program scholarship remains active — check kirstenhaglundfoundation.org directly before assuming a higher-level-of-care award is available.
Sources: theprojectheal.org; anad.org; allianceforeatingdisorders.com; mannafund.org; kirstenhaglundfoundation.org. Program availability, application cycles, and award amounts change — always confirm directly with the organization before applying.
Free peer support & mentorship
Both ANAD and the National Alliance for Eating Disorders run free, weekly support groups — no cost to join, and no requirement to be in formal treatment already — plus ANAD's longer-term one-on-one mentor program.
ANAD free virtual support groups
Free, 75-minute peer-led Zoom groups running Monday through Thursday, organized by age, identity, and situation. Join within the first minute of the start time — ANAD locks admission after that, and it can't offer technical help joining once a session has started.
anad.org/get-support/about-our-support-groups
ANAD Recovery Mentor Program
A free, 6-month, weekly one-on-one match with a volunteer mentor who has 2+ years in recovery — support alongside outpatient care, not a replacement for it. This runs in cohorts rather than on a rolling basis: Fall 2026 is currently at capacity, with the next opening for Spring 2027.
anad.org/get-support/request-a-recovery-mentor
National Alliance for Eating Disorders support groups
Free, therapist-led groups — a different model from ANAD's peer-led groups, since these are run by licensed clinicians. Daily Pro-Recovery groups plus a weekly Friends & Family group and affinity groups covering several communities. No pre-registration: these are drop-in, walk-in style — just show up.
allianceforeatingdisorders.com/groups
Sources: anad.org; allianceforeatingdisorders.com.
Resources for parents & caregivers
F.E.A.S.T. is a free, volunteer-run organization built specifically for parents and caregivers supporting someone with an eating disorder, rather than for the person with the diagnosis themselves.
What F.E.A.S.T. offers, all free
- Around the Dinner Table forum — its longest-running peer support community for caregivers
- Email support at parentsupport@feast-ed.org, answered by experienced volunteers
- Online support groups — free, 75-minute caregiver groups (Thu 2pm ET/11am PT and Mon 8pm ET/5pm PT) and a separate sibling group for ages 13+ (Tue 8pm ET/5pm PT)
- Men of F.E.A.S.T. — a space specifically for fathers and male caregivers
- Peer Mentorship Program — 8 weekly one-on-one sessions with an experienced caregiver mentor, for parents of a child aged 12–25 with a diagnosed eating disorder under regular medical monitoring. Enrolling in or completing FEAST 30 Days (below) first is required. Applications are temporarily closed as this page was reviewed, reopening for the next cohort in mid-to-late September 2026 — check feast-ed.org/peer-mentorship for the live status.
- FEAST 30 Days — a free, open-enrollment 30-day daily email program of information and grounding for caregivers at any stage
- Caregiver Skills Series, family guides, monthly webinars, and a podcast hosted by caregivers with lived experience
Source: feast-ed.org. All services are peer-led and staffed by volunteers with personal caregiving experience, not clinicians.
Resources for specific communities
Eating disorders affect every population, but access to care and the framing of support isn't one-size-fits-all. ANAD alone runs free weekly groups for most of the communities below; a few other organizations focus specifically on groups that general eating disorder resources often miss.
ANAD LGBTQIA+ support group
Free, weekly, 75-minute Zoom group, open to all gender identities. The National Alliance for Eating Disorders also runs its own free, separate weekly LGBTQ+ group led by queer therapists — two independent free options for this community.
Mon 5pm ET / 2pm PT — anad.org/get-support
ANAD & Alliance BIPOC support groups
Two separate free weekly groups for people of color: ANAD's peer-led group and the Alliance's group, led by BIPOC facilitators.
ANAD: Mon 8pm ET — Alliance: Wed 8pm ET
ANAD Men's support group
Free, biweekly, 75-minute Zoom group specifically for men with eating disorders.
Every other Wed, 7pm ET / 4pm PT
ANAD Athletes support group
Free, weekly, 75-minute Zoom group for athletes with eating disorders.
Tue 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Trans Folx Fighting Eating Disorders (TFFED / FEDUP Collective)
A dedicated trans, nonbinary, and intersex eating disorder organization, 18+. Runs free virtual Zoom support groups every Saturday, alternating a BIPOC group (1st & 3rd Saturday) and a general group (2nd & 4th Saturday). Register via their sign-up form and agree to a member agreement; the Zoom link follows by email.
Sat 12–1pm ET — fedupcollective.org/supportgroups
Men of F.E.A.S.T.
A dedicated space within F.E.A.S.T. for fathers and other male caregivers, since caregiver support spaces have historically skewed toward mothers. Free, biweekly Zoom sessions.
1st & 3rd Wed, 10am PT / 1pm ET — feast-ed.org/men-of-feast
Campus counseling + NEDA's screening tool
No single national free hotline is dedicated to college students specifically. NEDA's free screening tool, paired with its Collegiate Guide, is the standard free starting point, directing students to their own campus counseling center — since what's offered there varies school to school.
nationaleatingdisorders.org/screening-tool
ANAD ARFID & Binge Eating Disorder groups
Two separate free, biweekly and weekly Zoom groups for diagnoses that general ED groups don't always address directly.
ARFID: every other Wed, 8pm ET — BED: Thu 7pm ET
ANAD Older Adults support group
Free, biweekly Zoom group for older adults with eating disorders — a population general ED resources often overlook.
Every other Tue, 1pm ET / 10am PT
ANAD Chronic Illness & Disability support group
Free, weekly Zoom group for people managing an eating disorder alongside a chronic illness or long-term disability.
Thu 8pm ET / 5pm PT
Grupo de apoyo en español (Center for Discovery)
Two free, Spanish-language virtual groups: one for current patients, alumni, or anyone seeking treatment, and a separate one for family and loved ones.
centerfordiscovery.com/groups
Free screening tools & self-help apps
A free screening tool isn't a diagnosis, but it's a reasonable first step if you're unsure whether what you're experiencing warrants reaching out for support.
Mental Health America eating disorder screening
A free, anonymous online screening tool based on validated clinical questions, with guidance on next steps depending on the result.
screening.mhanational.org
NEDA screening tool
NEDA's own free online screening tool remains available even though its live helpline does not. Useful for orientation; not a substitute for the helplines above if you want to talk to a person.
nationaleatingdisorders.org/screening-tool
Recovery Record
A genuinely free eating disorder self-monitoring app — meals, urges, moods, thousands of coping-skill affirmations and meditations — with the option to share logs with a treatment provider. No ads, and no paywall found on its core tracking or clinician-sharing features.
recoveryrecord.com
Rise Up + Recover
A free CBT-based self-monitoring app: logs meals, emotions, and behaviors, with custom reminders and a PDF export to share with a treatment team.
App Store / Google Play
Brighter Bite & Nourishly
Two more free recovery apps: Brighter Bite combines ACT and DBT tools with meal logging and a coping-skills library; Nourishly (from Recovery Record's creators) adds digestive-health tracking and community forums. Both free for individual users.
App Store / Google Play
Sources: screening.mhanational.org; nationaleatingdisorders.org; recoveryrecord.com. App features and pricing tiers can change — confirm current terms in-app before relying on a "free" claim.
Free education & further reading
Beyond direct support, several of the same organizations publish free educational material — useful for caregivers, coaches, employers, or anyone who wants to understand eating disorders in more depth before reaching out.
- NEDA toolkits — free downloadable guides for parents, coaches and athletic trainers, educators, and employers
- NEDA webinars — a free continuing-education series, with past sessions archived for free viewing
- ANAD Learning Library — free articles, an acronym guide, and recorded webinars
- NIMH publications — "Eating Disorders: What You Need to Know" and related free guides, in English and Spanish
- SAMHSA — a free 2026 policy paper on strengthening eating disorder care systems
Sources: nationaleatingdisorders.org; anad.org; nimh.nih.gov; samhsa.gov. These are educational materials, not a substitute for the helplines, support groups, or treatment-access programs above.
Which resource fits your situation
Not sure where to start?
Call the National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline — they're licensed therapists who can point you to the right resource, free, whether or not you end up using their own services.
Call (866) 662-1235 Browse treatment optionsFrequently asked questions
Is there still a NEDA helpline?
No. NEDA's national helpline closed in June 2023, and a chatbot that briefly replaced it was also pulled after it gave harmful advice. NEDA's website still has screening tools and educational content, but for a live person, use the Alliance for Eating Disorders (866-662-1235) or ANAD (1-888-375-7767) helplines instead.
What free helplines are actually staffed by real people?
The National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline (staffed by licensed therapists, Mon–Fri 9am–7pm ET) and the ANAD helpline (volunteer-staffed, Mon–Fri 9am–9pm CT) are both free and human. For general crisis support outside those hours, 988 and Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741) run 24/7.
Can I get free eating disorder treatment, not just a helpline call?
Project HEAL's Treatment Placement Program connects people who face financial or insurance barriers with free or sliding-scale treatment. Applications are reviewed monthly and approval isn't guaranteed, but it's a real path to funded care, not just a referral list.
What resources exist for parents supporting a child with an eating disorder?
F.E.A.S.T. is built specifically for caregivers: a free peer support forum, email support from experienced volunteers, online support groups, an 8-week mentorship program (after completing its FEAST 30 Days introduction), and a dedicated space for fathers and male caregivers. Mentorship applications open and close by cohort, so check feast-ed.org for current status.
Are there eating disorder resources for trans and nonbinary people specifically?
Yes. Trans Folx Fighting Eating Disorders (TFFED / FEDUP Collective) runs free weekly Saturday Zoom support groups for trans, nonbinary, and intersex people, 18+. ANAD also runs a free weekly LGBTQIA+ support group open to all gender identities.
Are there scholarships or cash grants for eating disorder treatment, not just referrals?
Yes. Project HEAL offers both treatment placement and a separate Cash Assistance Program for costs like deductibles and travel. Manna Fund and the Kirsten Haglund Foundation offer scholarship-based treatment funding, though award amounts, cycles, and program availability vary and should be confirmed directly with each organization.
Is an online screening tool the same as a diagnosis?
No. Tools like the Mental Health America or NEDA screening questionnaires can flag whether your symptoms warrant reaching out for support, but only a clinician can diagnose an eating disorder. Treat a screening result as a reason to call a helpline, not as a conclusion on its own.
How to cite this page
This page is reviewed periodically since helpline hours, numbers, and program eligibility can change. If you're citing it in an article, report, or AI-generated summary, please attribute it to RehabSeekers.com with the reviewed date below.
References & sources
- National Alliance for Eating Disorders. Helpline and support group information. allianceforeatingdisorders.com
- ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders). Helpline, support groups, and Recovery Mentor Program. anad.org
- Project HEAL. Treatment Placement Program, Cash Assistance Program, Insurance Resource Hub, and free support group directory. theprojectheal.org
- Manna Fund. National Scholarship Program. mannafund.org
- Kirsten Haglund Foundation. Treatment scholarships. kirstenhaglundfoundation.org
- F.E.A.S.T. (Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders). Caregiver resources, Peer Mentorship Program, FEAST 30 Days. feast-ed.org
- Trans Folx Fighting Eating Disorders (TFFED / FEDUP Collective). Support groups. fedupcollective.org
- WithAll. Recovery Support Program cash grants. withall.org
- Center for Discovery. Spanish-language support groups. centerfordiscovery.com
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Eating disorder publications. nimh.nih.gov
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988lifeline.org
- Crisis Text Line. crisistextline.org
- Mental Health America. Eating disorder screening tool. screening.mhanational.org
- National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). Screening tool and educational resources. nationaleatingdisorders.org
- ADDitude Magazine. Reporting on NEDA's 2023 helpline closure and chatbot withdrawal. additudemag.com
- Recovery Record. Free eating disorder self-monitoring app. recoveryrecord.com
This page is produced by the RehabSeekers.com editorial team for informational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Organization hours, phone numbers, and program details can change — always confirm directly with the organization before relying on what's listed here. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911. For crisis support, call or text 988.
