WHAT IS A CENTRAL OFFICE?
A central office (or Intergroup) is an A.A. service office that involves partnership among groups in a community – just as A.A. groups themselves are partnerships of individuals. A central office is established to carry out certain functions common to all the groups – functions which are best handled by a centralized office – and it is usually maintained, supervised, and supported by these groups in their general interest. It exists to aid the groups in their common purpose of carrying the A.A. message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
– taken from “A.A. Guidelines – Central or Intergroup Offices”
SERVICES YOUR CENTRAL OFFICE PERFORMS
HANDLING AA INQUIRIES
By providing an Alcoholics Anonymous listing in the local telephone directory, the Central Office receives inquiries from those seeking help. We may refer the caller to a nearby A.A. group, or have a “twelfth stepper” contact them. Our Central Office is also the ideal contact with those in the community seeking information about A.A. We work in close cooperation with the Public Information (PI) and Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC) committees. The Central Office is a primary contact for local correctional and treatment facilities. We make arrangements to provide literature and volunteers for their meetings, and can help arrange contacts for those about to be released, if requested.
Your Central Office will be closed for the following holidays
(The 24 hour phone help line will still be active)
New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday
Presidents’ Day
Memorial Day
Juneteenth National Independence Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Eve Day
Christmas Day
MEETING INFORMATION
At regular intervals, the Central Office publishes and distributes an up-to-date list of meetings and other information about A.A. services in the local area.
INFORMATION EXCHANGE
Central Office, particularly in context with Intergroup meetings, provides a clearinghouse for the circulation and exchange of event and program information among all the groups in the community. We copy groups’ flyers for distribution, put information in our local newsletter, “The Gratitude Times”, and share information on the Central Office Website.
LOCAL EVENTS
Several times throughout the year, the Chattanooga Intergroup holds a variety of supportive events for the fellowship which raise funds to help support Central Office. We also help announce other special events being offered by individual groups in our area.
INVENTORY
Central Office carries a variety of items available for sale from AAWS/Grapevine. Please let Intergroup know if your group would like the office to stock any of the Grapevine literature that isn’t currently in inventory.