How Are A.A. World Services Supported?
August 4, 2006 by Mark
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
This will begin a discussion whereby my hope is to make you aware of the correct information regarding the 7th Tradition and whether or not A.A. is adhering to it.
Today, I can tell you that, through some human error (and I told him he deserved a smack lol) by our State delegate the previous talks were not exactly on target.
The issue at hand however, is extremely important, and I would very much like to hand it to you to run with. We are not in imminent danger but the danger is real. Many principles of recovery apply, from a personal basis, leading to group principles, and all ending at the ability to continue to carry the message to the suffering alcoholic worldwide.
From pg. 32 in the AA pamphlet “The AA Group”
How Are A.A. World Services Supported?
“Like the expenses of other A.A. activities, those of the general Service Office are met generally by group and individual contributions. Since these contributions do not completely cover the cost of A.A.’s world services, publishing income is used to offset the deficit.”
In this entry I said “A.A. isn’t able to pay its own way. In 2005 GSO found itself almost $3 Million short of being able to pay our bills.”
It needs to be re-worded. I’ll give it a try and if you have any suggestions they will be appreciated! Here’s the real deal -
A.A. continues to have difficulty adhering to the principle of being self-supporting through its own contributions. In 2005 the total cost of functions for General Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous was $7.4 Million. In 2005 the General Service Office of AA received personal contributions from AA members/groups, of $5.4 Million. Publishing profit was used to make up the $2 Million difference.
For a long time AA has been relying on literature profits and literature price increases to cover service structure costs. What has been happening as a result?
- Higher prices result in fewer pieces of literature being purchased and fewer alcoholics being reached.
- Higher prices create more opportunities for outside enterprises to print AA literature.
- Services need to be cut.
- Our trusted servants continually struggle with the challenge of raising prices or cutting services.
Use your imagination… what would happen if, for ex., one large purchaser (outside of AA) of literature decided not to purchase literature?
The Beginning Of A Solution?
First consider these facts – for our State of Georgia (I have no figures for other states) 56% of groups contribute to AA’s GSO, 44% do not. For A.A. as a whole, 43% of groups contribute to GSO, 57% do not.
Secondly, please don’t take this personally 
What we’re really talking about is a sum of money that is completely manageable if only the groups that aren’t contributing would begin to contribute.
Why don’t some groups contribute?
I think the feeling is that many groups have formed in recent years which are made up of a “new” generation of AA members who, unfortunately, aren’t educated in the Traditions of AA. Within the past week here in Savannah, one of our groups brought this up as a topic at a regular meeting and a person with 8 years sober took offense, complaining this was not a valid topic for a meeting. That is a very small example.
The beginning of a solution is to talk about this! Please. Let’s try to get the message to those who may not know. If you know someone from a group that was recently formed – ask them if they have a group service number assigned to them by the GSO. Perhaps that will open a conversation which will lead to talk of the responsibilities of a group.
I have chaired a few meetings where I began with a little AA education. Just 5 minutes or so, then on to a “real” topic.
Down here, most people have no idea of the difference between a closed and an open meeting, the difference between a clubhouse and a group, what a GSR does, or most of the Traditions as a whole. I have only 3 years in AA, but I pay attention and get involved. The only time I’ve ever remained on the sidelines was the year I coached football.
I believe, a solution for this and everything dAAve mentioned lies in the homegroup and with the sponsor. Lack of education and a general indifference or apathy to anything that doesn’t affect me directly.
That was My experience and attitude regarding such things for the first 10 years of my sobriety. I learned it from those who were there before me.
It’s only been in the last few years, since I’ve found a homegroup that not only studies traditions, but set examples of how to follow them. My homegroup taught me to be concerned about other groups and to be helpful to them. This requires action on someone’s part. That was the first glimpse I had of A.A. as a whole… or at least as an organization larger than my comfy little group and familiar bunch of friends. My group has also tried to teach me about self-support and by trying to get creative about different ways I can come up with to “put something back in every situation I’m in”.
That kind of education takes time because I’m a slow learner. Also it demands that I be willing to look beyond just not drinking… I’m not sure if I’m up to anything beyond my own little world, but my sponsor thinks I am and my homegroup members show me it’s possible.
One of the “meetings” I attend started very small. I was not around this area when it started but in the past several years it has grown quite large. The same person was in charge of the money and would spout off some list of how she had spent the money and what was in the bank. My girlfriend and I were in agreement we needed to make this meeting a “group.” We called a group conscious meeting and expressed our concerns about the lack of involvement and the large sum of money in the bank. This started the election process and then proper disbursement of funds. I ordered the Group Handbook and gave all members pamphlets that relate to the Group
(The AA Group ,GSR May Be the Most Important Job in AA ,Self-Support: Where Money and Spirituality Mix) as well as printed out info from AA’s official site. We pushed as a group to do things as suggested in our lit. Sounds easy in writing but put a bunch of controlling alkies together in a room to sort it all out and things can get pretty hairy.
Our area is very sad with service. In PA people were much more active. Here it is like pulling teeth to get someone to make coffee. One man who I called to fill in for me one day as Reid was sick had never made coffee. He is sober 22 years. I asked how he managed that and he said he was good at ducking the issue. I helped him via phone make his first pot of coffee for a meeting.
Hubby is DCM. There are only about a half dozen GSR’s that attend the meeting on a regular basis. So, out of say at least 100 meetings in the Central NJ area, there are 6-10 GSR’s.
Not sure what the answer is other than to be of service myself to the best of my abilities.
Thanks dAAve – I love your sense of humor…
Sidelines – football – coach… rotfl
John,
“I learned it from those who were there before me.”
I hear that! – In relation to poor or bad lessons. They’re out there. And they can be overcome with the right lessons.
Thankfully, I’ve had many of the same experiences as you later on – a home group firmly “entrenched” in the Traditions. Especially about “A.A. as a whole.” After being sober a few years and being the PI/CPC chair for Intergroup, one discovers there is a LOT more to AA than what we originally see.
Thanks!
Gwen,
I lived in South Jersey for a while in the late 90’s. I understand.
Thanks.