How a WithAll Grant Helped Charlotte Stay in Eating Disorder Treatment
Published February 27, 2024 | Last Updated September 29, 2026
Charlotte was considering leaving intensive eating disorder treatment early when grocery costs and reduced work made it harder to stay. A grant from WithAll’s Recovery Support Program covered groceries and gave her another month in treatment. That extra time helped her move forward feeling more stable, grounded, and hopeful about what comes next.
Groceries Were Becoming a Reason to Leave Treatment
Charlotte was doing what recovery asked of her: showing up for an intensive treatment program, working through difficult changes, and trying to give the process enough time to work.
At the same time, she was working part-time and trying to keep up with everyday expenses. Groceries became her biggest financial stressor.
“The grant I received from WithAll was an immense help,” Charlotte says. “It alleviated my top financial stressor, groceries, and allowed me to remain fully present in my treatment program.”
Charlotte’s experience reflects a broader problem in eating disorder care. A 2024 study published in Psychiatric Services found that financial barriers were the most frequently reported barrier to treatment access among nearly 2,000 treatment seekers in the United States.
Even when someone has found treatment and is ready to participate, the cost of life outside the treatment program can still determine how long they are able to stay.
One Grant Gave Charlotte Another Month
Before receiving support, Charlotte was considering leaving treatment early because of the financial strain. A grant from WithAll’s Recovery Support Program changed that calculation.
The program helps people in intensive eating disorder treatment with essential living expenses such as groceries, rent, mortgage payments, and lodging. For Charlotte, the need was groceries.
For Charlotte, one Recovery Support grant meant:
- Less stress about affording groceries
- More attention available for treatment
- Another full month in intensive care
- More time to prepare for the next stage of recovery
“It allowed me to stay in my program for another month, fostering invaluable growth and learning,” she shares. “Now, as I prepare to transition to a lower level of treatment, I feel more stable and grounded in my recovery than ever before.”
That additional month matters. Recovery Support grants do not replace treatment or do the work of recovery for someone. They can help create enough financial breathing room for a person like Charlotte to keep doing that work.
Charlotte’s Story Is Part of a Larger Impact
WithAll has awarded more than 1,200 Recovery Support grants, and 99% of surveyed recipients said the grant helped their recovery.
The need can look different from one person to another. Charlotte needed help with groceries. In Megan’s recovery story, support with both groceries and rent helped reduce financial stress during treatment.
Donations are one way to make that work possible, but they are not the only way to support WithAll. People can also volunteer, fundraise, sponsor programs, share resources, and help spread healthier messages about food and bodies.
Recovery Gave Charlotte More Room to Think About the Future
As Charlotte became more stable in recovery, her attention began extending beyond the next treatment session or grocery bill.
She started a CNA certification class and began thinking seriously about a future in healthcare. She is especially interested in pediatric or psychiatric nursing, fields where compassion and an understanding of difficult experiences can make a meaningful difference.
Charlotte’s friends describe her as compassionate and creative. She enjoys languages, creative projects, yoga, and being involved in her community.
Those details matter because recovery is about more than completing a treatment program. It can mean having enough space to imagine a career, pursue an interest, strengthen relationships, and decide what kind of life comes next.
Charlotte’s extra month in treatment helped her move toward that future feeling more stable and grounded than she had before.
What Charlotte Wants Donors to Know
Charlotte understands exactly where the support she received came from. Her message to the people whose gifts make Recovery Support grants possible is direct:
“Your gift means more than words can express. It is a beacon of hope, a reminder that no one walks alone on the path to recovery. Thank you for your generosity and belief in our journeys.”
A donation to WithAll can become something very practical for someone in treatment: groceries in the refrigerator, help with housing, or more time to stay focused on recovery.
For Charlotte, donor support meant another month in treatment. For someone else, it could mean the stability they need to keep going.
Want another way to make a difference? The way we talk about food, bodies, and health can shape how young people see themselves. WithAll’s free 3 Simple Shifts guide and mini-course offers practical, research-supported ways to help create a healthier culture.
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