Elisa Project: A Social Service Organization

Running Head: The Elisa Project

The Elisa Project: A social service organization

Carrie Boyd Lutter

The University of Texas at Arlington

Abstract

Social services are those services provided to individuals or families experiencing difficulty in meeting their basic human needs, and are found at macro, meso, and micro levels. The Elisa Project is an important social service organization, supporting communities and individuals affected by disordered eating and unhealthy body image at all three levels. This manuscript will help the reader become familiar with a local social service organization and the impact it has on its various clients at each level.

The Elisa Project: A social service organization

The Elisa Project’s mission is to promote “healthy living and awareness of the signs of disordered eating through educational programs and resources.” As a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, it strives to be a cohesive resource, supporting and/or sponsoring programs for various clients at many levels. For example, organizing a national initiative to bring awareness to eating disorders and sponsoring an annual symposium for health professionals and educators across the nation, The Elisa Project works at the macro level. At the meso level, The Elisa Project provides assistance to Dallas/Ft. Worth professional organizations and communities in addressing disordered eating conditions related to health and mental health with its project resource center. Another of its current programs, Girls in Motion, is conducted on the Southern Methodist University (SMU) campus in Dallas and is aimed at the community level as well. The Elisa Project also works at the micro level to provide help to individuals and families facing these types of issues to gain access to appropriate services locally and across the nation. These are only a few highlights of this social service organization; the complete Elisa Project story is both a personal and important one to tell.

Leslie