COMMUNICATIONS FORUMS, SUPPORT GROUPS AND OTHER ASSISTANCE:

CIOF will feature, on its website, numerous gateways for individuals (visitors) to join a variety of support forums and special newsgroups so that they can enjoy the benefits of expertly moderated exchanges of experiences, ideas and critical information. Too many people struggle alone without peer support - ironically, loneliness is positively correlated with weight control problems and obesity .especially in the case of children and adolescents who feel that they are isolated, and that they have no true peers to share with, or confide in. CIOF will not be just about fundraising and granting: It will be a resource for victims and the people who love them and care about them. CIOF will also provide referrals, via its website, to a variety of healthcare and wellness practitioners for individuals in search of competent, compassionate professional help.

MENTORING PROGRAM:CIOF, in conjunction with a consortium of public welfare, health and humanitarian agencies, will operate a powerful program whereby children and adolescents will be paired, on a one-on-one basis, with older mentors (many of whom have suffered with, and triumphed over obesity issues, or who have undergone various medical procedures and protocols themselves) who provide the benefits of practical, real-life experience, knowledge, compassion and credibility, as well as a sounding board for their younger, often frustrated and frightened charges and counterparts.

DIRECT EMERGENCY INTERVENTION INITIATIVE: CIOF will subsidize major medical treatment for indigent and disabled individuals (on a selective basis) who are in immediate health crises, and lack the resources or aftercare support to be properly treated.