Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) is an international fellowship of people who have a problem with drinking and want to find a solution for living without alcohol. 

For a more detailed explanation about the A.A. fellowship you can visit AA.org or read the “This is A.A.” pamphlet provided by A.A. World Services.

We can’t answer this question for you. However, AA.org has a self-assessment that may be able to provide you with some personal insight.

To take the questionnaire click here.

There is no cost to attend A.A. meetings, or to work the steps with a sponsor. Our 7th tradition states that we must be self-supporting. A basket gets passed at meetings to help fulfill this tradition, but contributions are not mandatory. This money goes towards rent for our meeting spaces, literature, and other meeting expenses.

The 12 Steps are a set of spiritual principles that members of A.A. use to relieve themselves of the obsession to drink and to maintain their sobriety.  

A.A. believes anonymity serves as our spiritual foundation. To protect our members and our fellowship, we ask that our identities and what is shared in meetings to be kept in confidence. This principle also extends to our own self disclosure in regards to the press and media. 

Alcoholics Anonymous expands on this topic in our 12 Traditions and more information can be found on AA.org at aa.org/aa-and-anonymity.

A.A. is a spiritual, but not religious, program. Our members may belong to a number of different religious denominations, but this is not a requirement. Many of our members do not affiliate themselves with any particular faith and continue to stay sober. 

A sponsor, in general, is a person who takes another alcoholic through the 12 Steps. A sponsor does this without expecting any sort of financial compensation. Before becoming a sponsor, they will have gone through the steps with their own sponsor. 

Sponsorship is an act of service, and stepwork varies from individual to individual. It is important to find a sponsor who shares a message of hope that resonates with you. There is no binding contract between sponsors and sponsees and it is okay to change sponsors if you need to. Everyone works the steps a bit differently, so it is important to find what works for you and your sponsor. 

For more information, World Service publishes a pamphlet on Sponsorship which you can view online.  

You are a member of Alcoholics Anonymous when you say you are. We have no dues or fees and anyone can discontinue attending A.A. meetings at any time. For more information about meetings, visit our meeting page here. 

Each A.A. meeting is run by a format determined by its homegroup members, but they do share many similarities. Each meeting will have a chairperson who opens and closes the meeting. They will guide meeting attendees through the format. Most A.A. meetings are for one hour, although some may last 90 minutes. You are not required to speak or read, and at “Open” meetings you do not have to identify yourself as an alcoholic. Often times there will be fellowship time before and after the meeting, so some individuals show up early and stay late.  

To learn more information on types of meetings, typical formats, where AA meets and who can attend you can visit www.aa.org/information-about-meetings at AA.org.

To find a meeting near you, please visit our Meeting Information page. 

Students enrolled in classes for medical or counseling/social services fields are often encouraged to attend A.A. meetings for class. Some professionals in helping fields may also want to attend a meeting for more information. We welcome students and professionals to any meeting that is labeled as “Open” on our meeting schedule. Closed meetings are for AA members only. 

You are not required to share but may announce (if you would like) that you are observing when the chairperson asks if there are any newcomers attending that meeting for first time. We ask that you respect the anonymity of the group and not use the names of any members you may meet or hear. You can always ask a chairperson for more information on A.A. or anonymity. 

For more information on meetings in the area, please visit our Meeting Information page. 

You can also find more information for professionals on our CPC/PI Committee page. 

We understand that some individuals are court-ordered to attend AA meetings. We have no affiliation with any legal systems, and do not directly report to them. We do support any individual who has a desire to stop drinking or is seeking more information about a potential drinking problem. You may attend meetings listed as “Open” or “Closed.” If you need a paper signed for legal reasons, please ask the chairperson after the meeting. 

Please see our Meeting Information page for more information on meetings in the area.  

It can be very overwhelming if you think someone you know and care about might have a problem with alcohol. For more information on AA and how you can help you may find the pamphlet Is There an Alcoholic in Your Life? to be helpful. Our hotline is also available 24/7 at (610) 373-6500. 

Al-Anon Family Groups is another 12 Step Fellowship specifically for those who are concerned about someone with a drinking problem. Please visit Al-Anon.org for more information.