Cooperation with the Professional Community/ Public Information
CPC/PI has two main responsibilities:
1) Share information about AA with the community regarding what AA is and how to find meetings/AA support
2) Work with professionals (physicians, attorneys, clergy, school administrators, and others) who encounter alcoholics to ensure the alcoholic has access to meeting schedules and AA resources
Ideas and feedback on CPC/PI opportunities welcome!
Correctional Facilities
The purpose of the corrections committee is to coordinate the work of individual A.A. members and groups who are interested in carrying our message of recovery to alcoholics behind the walls, and to set up means of smoothing the way from the facility to the larger A.A. community through prerelease contacts.
Our district has regularly scheduled meetings held in Orange Correctional Center, Caswell Correctional Center and Dan River Prison Work Farm. Access to these facilities is regulated by the North Carolina Department of Corrections. Any AA members interested in participating in service work in prisons or on the committee may contact the corrections chairperson for additional information at: cf@aanc33.org.
For further information see “A.A. Guidelines Corrections Committees”
Telephone Answering Service
AA District 33 has contracted with a professional telephone answering service to provide interested callers general information about the AA program of recovery and to provide support to callers struggling with alcoholism. The service answers calls to the District’s “Hot Line” (919-783-6144) 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Most calls are “informational” calls (requesting meeting times and locations) and are handled by the answering service’s professional staff. Callers who want help to stop drinking and/or help with problems affecting their recovery will be referred to volunteers as will calls involving the need for rides, questions about the program beyond meeting times & places or for someone to listen to their problems. These “help” calls are referred out to AA volunteers either by the caller being “patched through” to a volunteer or by the service arranging for a volunteer to return the caller’s call.
It is suggested that volunteers have at least six months sobriety. A volunteer may decide to give their contact information to a caller BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS A VOLUNTEER TO GIVE OUT ANOTHER AA MEMBER’S CONTACT INFORMATION.
By familiarizing themselves with the following material volunteers will be more prepared to effectively respond to someone calling for help:
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- Big Book (Chapter 7 – “Working With Others”
- District 33 Meeting List
- Conference Approved Pamphlets (Available at www.aa.org) –
“Is AA For You”
“Frequently Asked Questions About AA”
“A Newcomer Asks…”
“This Is AA…An Introduction To The AA Recovery Program”
To volunteer for service on the Telephone Answering Service Committee complete the volunteer form and the TAS Committee Chairperson will contact you to verify your information and arrange for your orientation. Or you can email your interest and/or questions to the TAS Committee Chairperson at tas@aanc33.org.
Treatment Facilities
The Treatment Committee assures that AA’s message is carried to those in hospitals and rehabs, many of whom have problems with alcohol and are seeking help from us. We currently bring meetings to Freedom House in Chapel Hill (Tuesdays, 7:00-8:00 pm) and Alamance Regional Medical Center (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:30pm-7:15pm).
Committee members are the interface between AA and these institutions. Even if you are not a member of this committee you can go along on the Treatment Committee’s commitments. Committee members also collect conference approved literature donated by individuals and groups for use by the residence which is another way members assist recovery.
We also coordinate the Bridge the Gap program in the district. This program attempts to connect newcomers with a temporary sponsor.
For further information read this flyer – “Bridge the Gap”.
To become a member of the Treatment Committee complete the “Sign-Up For Service” form or contact either of the following:
District 33 Treatment Reps – John D. at tf@aanc33.org
For further information please see the pamphlet “A.A in Treatment Facilities”.
Grapevine
The Grapevine is a monthly magazine which serves as AA’s meeting in print (www.aagrapevine.org). The AA General Service Conference has approved the Grapevine as the official magazine of Alcoholics Anonymous. Grapevine subscriptions are available in print and online.
In addition to the monthly magazine, Grapevine has published numerous books and CDs on a variety of AA themes. All the books are compilations of articles that have appeared in the Grapevine magazine on that topic.
The Grapevine service committee has two projects it is working on. First, District 33 has purchased and makes available to AA members a variety of books and CDs from the Grapevine catalogue. These are sold at cost. Most often, the Grapevine representative may be at your group’s anniversary meeting selling its inventory.
Second, the Grapevine service committee encourages your group to purchase Grapevine subscriptions for the group that can be passed on or sold at your group’s meeting.
If you are interested in subscribing to the Grapevine for your group or would like the Grapevine representative to come to your meeting, contact your Grapevine representative at grapevine@aanc33.org.