24 Hour Helpline 510-839-8900 English 510-502-8560 Espanol Helplines are staffed 24/7 by A.A. member volunteers who have solved their drinking problem.
24 Hour Helpline 510-839-8900 English 510-502-8560 Espanol Helplines are staffed 24/7 by A.A. member volunteers who have solved their drinking problem.
Bridging The Gap volunteers provide support to newcomers and AA members as they transition from treatment or institutions to AA, helping them stay sober during this period.
Alcoholics Anonymous members play a crucial role in guiding newcomers and members towards long-term sobriety by introducing them to the recovery community.
Establishing a supportive recovery community is one of the key components of the Three Legacies that contribute to successful recovery.
“AA is nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about their drinking problem.”
AA is self-supporting through the member’s voluntary contributions. The AA organization is supported and operated by the member contributions in each region or country.
Volunteer today!
“By our Twelve Steps we have recovered, by our Twelve Traditions we have unified, and through our Third Legacy -- Service -- we shall carry the AA message down through the corridors of time to come.”
The AA organization uses the Twelve Traditions, a set of guidelines, to help each AA group maintain their focus and responsibility to the primary purpose of AA.
The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. Getting sober can seem a daunting task albeit a rewarding one. Getting the support from others who have walked the same path can not only make it easier for the newcomer to achieve sobriety but also achieve a level of freedom most of us could have never imagined.
Members of AA protect their anonymity:
to protect the AA organization, their professional and private lives, the lives of other alcoholics, and most importantly, those seeking help with their drinking problem: the newcomer.
Your anonymity will be protected. AA does not keep information on their members nor track or record who contacts them.
Bridging the Gap is an AA committee whose focus is to help people leaving a correctional or treatment facility become acquainted with AA and attend AA meetings in their hometown, after they are released. Alcoholics Anonymous members help the newcomer by introducing them to the AA community when they are transitioning out of a facility or institution.
You can provide much needed service by becoming a volunteer with the Bridging The Gap Committee.
Bridging the Gap is a General Service sub-committee that supports that very important first step for alcoholics who have just been released from a hospital, treatment center or correctional facility. By providing a temporary contact‚ Bridging the Gap helps newcomers make the transition to Alcoholics Anonymous in his or her home community.
Members of Alcoholics Anonymous‚ usually in pairs‚ meet the patients or inmates after release and accompany them to their first AA meeting. As in all 12-step work‚ this activity is strictly voluntary.
As many people know, one of the more “slippery” places in the journey to sobriety is between the door of the facility and the nearest A.A. group or meeting. Some of us can tell you that, even though we heard of AA in treatment, we were too fearful to go.
AA experience suggests that attending meetings regularly is critical. In order to bridge the gap, A.A. members have volunteered to be temporary contacts and introduce newcomers to Alcoholics Anonymous.
If you are interested in service email; AlamedaBridgingTheGap@gmail.com
This information is both for people who may have a drinking problem and for those in contact with people who have, or are suspected of having, a problem. Most of the information is available in more detail in literature published by A.A. World Services, Inc. Most alcoholics need a support system to get sober and maintain sobriety for after all, they did not get sick overnight, A solid foundation and support system is a key element as one transitions to a life without alcohol.
What Is A.A.?
Alcoholics Anonymous is non-professional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem.
Singleness of Purpose and Problems Other Than Alcohol
Some professionals refer to alcoholism and drug addiction as “substance abuse” or “chemical dependency.” Non-alcoholics are, therefore, sometimes introduced to AA and encouraged to attend AA meetings. Anyone may attend open AA meetings, but only those with a drinking problem may attend closed meetings.
A renowned psychiatrist, who served as a non-alcoholic trustee of the AA General Service Board, made the following statement: “Singleness of purpose is essential to the effective treatment of alcoholism. The reason for such exaggerated focus is to overcome denial. The denial associated with alcoholism is cunning, baffling, and powerful and affects the patient, helper, and the community. Unless alcoholism is kept relentlessly in the foreground, other issues will usurp everybody’s attention.”
Members From Court Programs and Treatment Facilities
“In recent years, AA groups have welcomed many new members from court programs and treatment facilities. Some have come to AA voluntarily; others, under a degree of pressure. In our pamphlet “How A.A. Members Cooperate,” the following appears:
We cannot discriminate against any prospective A.A. member, even if he or she comes to us under pressure from a court, an employer, or any other agency.
Although the strength of our program lies in the voluntary nature of membership in A.A., many of us first attended meetings because we were forced to, either by someone else or by inner discomfort. But continual exposure to A.A. educated us to the true nature of the illness…. Who made the referral to A.A. is not what A.A. is interested in. It is the problem drinker who is our concern…. We cannot predict who will recover, nor have we the authority to decide how recovery should be sought by any other alcoholic.
Conclusion
The primary purpose of AA is to carry its message of recovery to the alcoholic seeking help. Almost every alcoholism treatment tries to help the alcoholic maintain sobriety. Regardless of the road we follow, we all head for the same destination, recovery of the alcoholic person. Together, we can do what none of us could accomplish alone. We can serve as a source of personal experience and be an ongoing support system for recovering alcoholics.” – A.A.W.S. Bridging the Gap, P-49
Bridging The Gap District 7/70 Meets online on the Second Thursday Every Month 7:30 to 8:30pm.
Meeting Details
Zoom Meeting ID: 898 0592 4119
Zoom Passcode: 576 335
“It must never be forgotten that the purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous is to sober up alcoholics. There is no religious or spiritual requirement for membership. No demands are made on anyone. An experience is offered which members may accept or reject. That is up to them.”
The primary purpose of East Bay Intergroup, Inc. is to help inform the greater community about AA and alcoholism so that those who need help
can find recovery from alcoholism.
East Bay Intergroup is an organization created and sustained by AA groups in the San Francisco East Bay.
The EBI Board of Directors seeks members interested in service to apply for a Board position for the 2025-2026 term (Jan 2025-Dec 2026). This is a deeply gratifying way to help our community! We seek new members who have experience with accounting, budgets, and technological experience.
