Frequently Asked Questions

Below there are frequently asked questions arranged by category.

Often referred to as "our meeting in print," AA Grapevine is a monthly pocket-size magazine published for A.A. members and friends who seek further…
The A.A. Guidelines represent the shared experience of A.A. members and groups throughout the United States and Canada. They also reflect guidance…
The “Twelve Traditions” of A.A. are suggested principles to insure the survival and growth of the thousands of groups that make up the Fellowship.…
Most groups try to hold a certain amount of money in reserve. There is no predetermined amount for such a reserve, but most groups try to put aside…
An A.A. meeting may take one of several forms, but at any meeting you will find alcoholics talking about what drinking did to their lives, their…
A central office or intergroup is an A.A. service office that involves partnership among groups in a community — just as A.A. groups themselves are…
In most groups, the chairperson or another officer calls the business meeting, which ordinarily is held on a monthly or quarterly basis. While some…
The service structure is the framework in which our "general services" are carried out. It is the structure that takes the place of government in A.A…
The term “Conference-approved” describes written or audiovisual material approved by the General Service Conference for publication by GSO. This…
The number of women who are finding help in A.A. for their drinking problem increases daily. Approximately 38 percent of present-day members are…
“The 24-hour program” is a phrase used to describe a basic A.A. approach to the problem of staying sober. A.A.s never swear off alcohol for life,…
GSO provides a wide variety of material, much of it is available on the A.A. Literature page. These items include books, pamphlets and flyers,…