Noah Vinter
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global fellowship that helps alcoholics on the path to sobriety. The organisation is underpinned by 12 Traditions, one of which is that every AA group should be self-supporting, declining outside contributions. This means that only AA members can contribute financially to the organisation. Members can donate to the charity that supports the AA Fellowship – The General Services Board. Donations can be made by bank transfer, PayPal, or by mailing a cheque.
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What You'll Learn
AA's Seventh Tradition
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global fellowship that helps alcoholics on the path to sobriety. It is underpinned by 12 Traditions, one of which is the Seventh Tradition, which states that "every AA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions". This means that AA groups are financially supported by members' contributions, ensuring that the organisation remains independent and focused on its primary purpose of helping alcoholics.
The Seventh Tradition is an important aspect of AA's structure, promoting self-support and independence from outside influences. AA groups cover their expenses, such as rent, utilities, literature, and refreshments, through members' donations. This sense of collective responsibility fosters a sense of unity and ownership within the group.
While AA groups are self-supporting, they operate within a broader service structure. After covering their expenses, groups may contribute financially to local districts, area committees, central offices, and the General Service Office. These entities coordinate activities, provide resources, and facilitate the spread of the AA message on a larger scale.
The Central Office, for example, plays a crucial role in supporting local AA groups. It relies on contributions from groups and members to pay its bills and compensate its employees. However, the Central Office is mindful of not becoming a financial burden to the groups and respects their autonomy.
In addition to financial contributions, members may also give their time and energy to support AA activities. This could include answering calls, coordinating meetings, and providing literature to those in need. These contributions are invaluable in maintaining the AA community and extending its reach to those seeking help.
The Seventh Tradition of self-support is a cornerstone of AA's philosophy, ensuring that the organisation remains financially independent and committed to its core mission of helping alcoholics who are suffering. By relying on member contributions, AA groups foster a sense of collective responsibility and ownership, creating a supportive community dedicated to helping each other on the path to recovery.
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Donations from members only
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has no dues or fees, but it does have expenses. In keeping with AA's Seventh Tradition, the organisation is self-supporting through its own contributions. This means that only AA members contribute financially to AA.
AA members can donate to the charity that supports the AA Fellowship – The General Services Board. Members can pay directly to the General Service Office (GSO) by bank transfer, PayPal, cheque, or money order. In the payment reference, members should put "Tradition 7 member donation".
The Birthday Plan is for groups or members who wish to contribute to the GSO on their AA birthday. $1 per year is suggested, but members may contribute as much as they wish up to $7,500.
AA members may also leave a bequest in their will, and members may contribute in memory of another member. Bequests in wills are limited to a one-time contribution of $10,000 per individual. If a group wants to contribute in memory of a deceased member, there is no limit to how much it may give.
The Central Office is fully self-supporting through the sale of literature and related products, and through the voluntary contributions of AA members and groups. It does not accept donations from people or organisations outside of AA.
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No dues or fees
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has no dues or fees for its members. However, the organization does incur expenses to provide its services. In keeping with AA's Seventh Tradition, AA groups are expected to be self-supporting through the contributions of their members. This tradition emphasizes that AA groups should decline outside contributions to remain free of influences that might divert them from their primary purpose: helping alcoholics who are suffering.
The self-supporting nature of AA groups means that they rely solely on the financial contributions of their members to cover expenses. These expenses can include rent for meeting spaces, utility bills, literature, coffee, refreshments, and other operating costs. AA groups are encouraged to adopt a contribution plan that considers their financial situation, ensuring they remain self-sufficient while also supporting the broader AA service entities.
While there is no minimum contribution amount, there may be a personal maximum set for individual donations, such as $3,000 in the case of Alcoholics Anonymous Cleveland. AA members are encouraged to give what they can to support their local groups and ensure the doors of AA remain open to those in need. Donations are tax-deductible, and members can contribute through various methods, including checks, Venmo, or PayPal, ensuring their anonymity if desired.
The Central Office of AA, which provides essential services such as answering calls for help, providing literature, and facilitating meetings, is also self-supporting. It generates revenue through the sale of literature and related products and receives voluntary contributions from AA members and groups. The Central Office relies on these contributions to pay its bills, staff salaries, and other operating expenses.
In summary, while Alcoholics Anonymous has no dues or fees, the organization sustains itself through the financial contributions of its members. These contributions are vital to ensuring the continued availability of AA's services to those struggling with alcoholism. By supporting their local groups and the broader AA service entities, members play a crucial role in maintaining the self-supporting nature of AA and its ability to help those in need.
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Self-supporting
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a self-supporting organisation, as outlined in its Seventh Tradition: "Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions." This means that only members of Alcoholics Anonymous can contribute financially to the organisation, and even then, there is a limit to how much they can give. This ensures that AA remains free of outside influences, allowing it to focus on its primary purpose: helping alcoholics.
AA groups cover their expenses, such as rent, utility bills, and literature, through voluntary contributions from their members. These contributions are typically collected during meetings, with a 'hat' being passed around to collect donations. In addition to covering their own expenses, groups may also choose to support other AA service entities, such as the local district, area committee, and the General Service Office.
The Central Office, for example, is fully self-supporting through the sale of literature and related products and through voluntary contributions from members and groups. It does not accept donations from outside sources, in keeping with the Seventh Tradition. The Central Office employs special workers who are financially compensated, but their roles do not include traditional "12th Step" work with alcoholics in need. Any 12th Step calls that come through are handled by sober AA members who volunteer to take these calls.
While AA has no dues or fees, it does have expenses. The organisation relies on the contributions of its members to keep its doors open and continue providing services to those who need them. Donations can be made by cheque, bank transfer, or through online platforms such as Venmo and PayPal, with members asked to ensure their privacy settings are set to "Private" to maintain anonymity.
In the UK, AA members can also contribute to the charity that supports the AA Fellowship, The General Services Board, through bank transfer or PayPal. Similarly, Alcoholics Anonymous Cleveland mentions that donations are tax-deductible and can be made through their website.
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Central Office
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a self-supporting organisation, with no dues or fees. AA groups are supported by the voluntary contributions of their members. The Seventh Tradition of AA states that "every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions". This means that only AA members can contribute financially to AA, and even then, there is a personal maximum limit on contributions, which varies depending on the location of the Central Office.
The Central Office provides essential services to AA groups and members. These include phone services for Twelfth Step calls and other inquiries, coordinating group activities, and facilitating AA literature sales, institutions work, public information, and cooperation with the professional community. The Central Office also employs special workers who are compensated financially for their services, though their work does not include the traditional "Twelfth Step" work of helping alcoholics in need. These employees handle the day-to-day operations of the office, such as managing inventory, answering phones, and preparing orders.
Donations can be made to Central Offices in various ways, including by check, PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle. When donating by check, it is important to make the check payable to the correct entity, such as the "General Service Board" or the specific Central Office location. When donating on behalf of a group or meeting, it is important to specify the group name and number in the special instructions. Some groups also pass the basket for Central Office donations quarterly or monthly.
Overall, the Central Office plays a crucial role in supporting AA groups and members, and it relies on the financial contributions of those groups and members to continue providing its services.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Alcoholics Anonymous does not accept donations from non-members. Per AA's Seventh Tradition, every AA group should be self-supporting, and contributions are only accepted from members.
Members can donate to their local AA group to help cover expenses like rent, utility bills, and literature. They can also donate to the charity that supports the AA Fellowship, The General Services Board, via bank transfer, PayPal, or by mailing a cheque.
You could make a contribution to Alcoholics Anonymous in their name, following the methods outlined above. However, please note that only members can donate to Alcoholics Anonymous.
Yes, members can give their time and energy to support AA, and non-members can also support by purchasing AA literature.
