Meeting Confirmation Information

Whatever brought you here, you’re welcome at Alcoholics Anonymous.

A.A. is independent from the court system, law enforcement, treatment centers, and any government agency, and we don’t report back to anyone who sends people our way. Many of our members first walked through the door because they were required to, and plenty of groups are glad to sign attendance sheets as a courtesy. What A.A. offers, beyond any paperwork, is a room of people who’ve been where you are and found a way through it.

A few things worth knowing before you go:

• A.A. meetings aren’t classes. They’re peer-to-peer gatherings where members support each other in staying sober.
• No one is in charge in a professional sense. The volunteer running the meeting (the “secretary” or “chair”) is a fellow member, not a counselor or teacher.
• It’s free, and there’s no sign-up. Just show up. A.A. doesn’t keep membership records.
• What you hear in a meeting, and who you see there, stays there. Anonymity goes both ways, and you can count on it.

Finding a Meeting

In Person

• Search our full directory at eastbayaa.org/meetings — filter by day, time, or location using the dropdown menus.
• Download the free Meeting Guide app (available for iPhone and Android) to find meetings near you.
• Call our 24-Hour Helpline at (510) 839-8900 (English) or (510) 502-8560 (Español) for help finding a meeting.

Online

• Our directory also lists online meetings — same link, eastbayaa.org/meetings.
• The Meeting Guide app covers online meetings too.
• For meetings running around the clock worldwide, check aa-intergroup.org.
• Our Helpline can also point you toward an online meeting if you’re not sure where to start.

Getting Your Attendance Confirmed

Many groups are willing to confirm you were there, but no group is required to. East Bay Intergroup’s office does not issue verification itself — that has to come from the meeting you attended.

A quick note on meeting types: closed meetings are for anyone who thinks they might have a drinking problem. Open meetings also welcome non-alcoholics who want to observe. If you’re not sure you have a drinking problem yourself, stick to open meetings.

In Person

• Bring a court card if you have one, or make your own with columns for date, meeting name, and signature.
• Get there about 10 minutes early and ask the secretary or chair directly whether they’re able to sign.

Online

• Log on 5–10 minutes before start time and ask the host or secretary for confirmation, either out loud or via chat.
• If they can help, you’ll typically get a follow-up email with the meeting name, date, and time. Volunteers won’t contact courts, employers, or programs directly on your behalf.
• No email by the end of the meeting means you’ll likely need to come back the following week and ask again — confirmation can’t be issued after the fact. This is the main reason in-person meetings tend to be more dependable for this purpose.
• If online is your only option, look for a meeting that runs daily or has its own dedicated contact email, so you’re not starting from scratch each time.
• Our Central Office can’t issue confirmation or hand out a volunteer’s contact information on your behalf.