Service Opportunities

Volunteer Service Opportunities

Hospitals and Institutions (H&I) H&I volunteers bring AA meetings and literature to those confined in hospitals and institutions. History of the Pink Can The Pink Can idea seemed to have originated in the Northern California Area in 1957. The purpose was to provide sufficient funds to purchase literature for expanding work in prisons. Individual contributions,although quite helpful, were not enough to keep up with the expanding responsibilities of the local Hospitals & Institutions Committees.

Someone came up with the idea of passing a can during meetings and requesting spare change. It was explained that all monies collected would be used to buy literature for alcoholics in hospitals and prisons.

In order to make the can “stand out,” a decision was made to paint the can pink. In a short time, pink cans started appearing on literature tables and were being passed around at various meetings. If you’d like more information on how to become involved in hospitals and institutions, please see handinorcal.org

Public Information and Cooperation with the Professional Community (PI/CPC)
PI/CPC informs professionals about AA and attempts to establish better cooperation between AAs and professionals in the field. PI/CPC brings AA to schools, DUI classes, conferences, etc.

Bridging the Gap (BTG)
Bridging the Gap is a temporary contact program, designed to help the alcoholic make the transition from a treatment or corrections facility into the nearest AA group or meeting.It is suggested that the temporary contact take the newcomer to a variety of AA meetings; introduce him or her to other AAs; introduce the newcomer to AA Conference‐approved books (particularly the Big Book), pamphlets and the AA Grapevine; insure that he or she has the phone numbers of several AA members, and share the experience of sponsorship and a home group.The intent is to provide the newcomer with your help for a limited time. You need not have experience with treatment facilities. Your qualifications are experience as an alcoholic and recovery in AA. If you’d like more information on how to become involved in BTG, please contact [email protected]
General Secretary
The group secretary is generally expected to:

    • Conduct the group’s regular meetings according to the group’s conscience
    • Announce and/or mail information about important AA activities and events
    • Maintain minutes of business meetings
    • Maintain and update a strictly confidential file of names, addresses and phone numbers of group members and know which members are available to visit still‐suffering alcoholics
    • Keep a record of members’ sobriety dates, if the group so wishes
    • Maintain a bulletin board for posting AA announcements, bulletins and newsletters
    • Make certain that the General Service Office and Central Office are informed, in writing, of any changes of address, meeting place or group officers
    • Accept and assign calls for Twelfth‐Step help
    • Share with group members the mail from other groups and Central Office

If you’d like more information on how to become involved as a GSR, please see cnia.org

Meeting Secretary
The Meeting Secretary is responsible for conductingthe AA meeting in accordance with the group guidelines,as well as finding chair people and making sure the room is set up and the coffee person has taken care of his/her duties. The sobriety requirement is usually six months to one year.

Treasurer
The Treasurer collects 7th tradition money, pays groups expenses, maintains accurate records, and disburses H&I money and any surpluses according to the group’s conscience.

Intergroup (Central Office) Rep
The intergroup representative participates in business meetings with other such representatives several times a year to share their group’s experience in carrying the AA message. The intergroup rep tries to keep the group well‐informed about what the local intergroup is doing.

Chairperson
A chairperson shares his or her experience, strength and hope at a meeting and also may suggest a discussion topic depending on the meeting format.


This message is sponsored by your area
Alcoholics Anonymous Central Office.For questions or additional information, call:
Hot Line: (916) 454-1100
Business Line: (916) 454-1771
Central California Fellowship of
Alcoholics Anonymous (CCFAA)

9960 Business Park Drive, Suite 110
Sacramento, CA 95827
www.aasacramento.org
Literature Representative
The group’s literature representative makes certain that AA Conference‐approved books and pamphlets are on hand for meetings and are properly displayed. Other Various and Sundry Positions

  • Set up before the meeting
  • Coffee‐makers
  • Greeters
  • Clean up after the meeting
CCFAA Rep or Alternate
The CCFAA Rep’s job is to carry the informed group conscience from his or her group to the Delegates’ Meeting where a collective group conscience is taken. The delegate gives a thorough and accurate report of the issues raised at the CCFAA Delegates’ Meeting at his or her group’s business meeting. The issues are discussed, votes taken and the group conscience carried back to the next Delegates’ Meeting.
Teleservice The Teleservice volunteer answers Central Office’s helpline at home when Central Office is closed.
Teledesk The Teledesk volunteer answers the helpline at Central Office when the office is open.
The By The Way and Flyer Mailings Volunteers can help with the mailing of The By The Way and other flyers.
Office Cleaning Volunteers can assist with the maintenance of Central Office.
Stockroom Volunteers can open boxes of literature and shelve AA Conference‐approved literature.

Volunteer Service Opportunities
in the Central California
Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous
Special Needs
The Special Needs Committee helps member groups carry the AA message to alcoholics with special needs and to help CCFAA and its member groups include and serve those with special needs. Members of the Special Needs Committee explore, develop, and offer alternatives to make the AA message and participation in our program available to everyone who reaches out for it.
GSR
As the group’s link with the General Services Conference, the GSR:

  • Represents the group at district meetings and area assemblies
  • Keeps group members informed about general service activities in their local areas
  • Receives and shares with their groups all mail fromthe General Service Office
  • May assist their groups in solving a variety ofproblems, especially those related to the Traditions

Alternate GSR
An alternate GSR is elected at the same time as the GSR in the event that the GSR is unable to attend all district and area meetings.

AA Grapevine/La Viña,
Representative (GvR/RLV)
The job of the GvR and RLV is to familiarize members with the Fellowship’s international journal, The AA Grapevine, its bi‐monthly Spanishlanguage magazine La Viña, and the enhancements to sobriety the magazines offer.GvRs and RLVs participate in the activities of their area’s Grapevine committee, announce the arrival of new magazines at the group each month, encourage members to submit articles and illustrations, and explain how members can order their own subscriptions.

The Principle of Rotation
Traditionally, rotation ensures that group tasks, like nearly everything else in A.A., are passed around for all to share. Many groups have alternates to each trusted servant who can step into the service positions if needed.
The A.A. Group ‐ Where It All Begins, Page 26