First contact with A.A. Request
Alcoholics Anonymous is a
fellowship of people who share
their experience, strength and
hope with each other that they
may solve their common
problem and help
others recover from alcoholism.
Hello,
Like many others, you have started or restarted your journey with sobriety. District 32 Alcoholics Anonymous congratulates you. Past experience from members of A.A. have shown that attending A.A. meetings as soon as possible can augment your initial recovery. We have also found that the fellowship of A. A. can be helpful in maintaining that newfound sobriety, and we invite you to join us. In fact, we have a program to lend you a hand. That program, called Bridging the Gap, is to assist people with making a transition to the A. A. program. If you are interested, you can be matched to an A. A. member who will attend meetings with you and help you get acquainted and comfortable in the A.A. fellowship. This volunteer is a temporary contact to guide you with learning about the A.A. program of recovery and answering your questions. You do not have to go it alone.
How Bridging The Gap Works
Fill out the request form above and select “Submit”. All information will be confidential. That information will go to the District 32 Bridging the Gap (BTG) coordinator. The BTG coordinator will use your information to match you with a
volunteer from A.A.
The A.A. volunteer will contact you to make plans for going to a meeting together. Due to current health safety
measures that meeting will likely be online.
Attend the meeting with your temporary contact. You will hear basic suggestions for sobriety that the fellowship shares and you will hear how others work the program. Use this meeting to listen and learn. Ask for phone
numbers.
After the meeting, ask your temporary contact any questions you have. Become aware of A.A. meetings and online etiquette. Find out where you can find meeting information and A.A. literature.
Make arrangements to attend a variety of additional meetings (up to 7) with your temporary contact. Learn more about how the A.A. steps work and start looking for a sponsor and home group. When you are ready, begin to share your story in meetings.
Attend meetings on your own. Find one that feels comfortable and make it your home group. Ask someone to be your sponsor. Start working the 12 Steps. Stay sober, one day at a time.
Suggestions
• You may not relate to everything you hear in meetings. Take what works for you and leave the rest.
• Come to each meeting with an open mind. Your old way of thinking resulted in a trip to treatment, so maybe it was not working too well. Try on new ideas.
• Listen for ways you are the same as others in the meeting.
• Your willingness to change, grow and learn is critical to recovery.
• Though online meetings can be found from anywhere in the world, you might want to attend meetings based in
your community. Such meetings can begin your connection with members of A.A. that you can then meet with in-person once current health restrictions are lifted. If you do not live in our district (Algona, Auburn, Federal Way, Pacific) your temporary contact can help find those meetings. Ask them.
• Find a meeting that feels comfortable, has people you can relate to and that you enjoy. Make that your home group. It can provide a solid, continuing support system. Members of that group can become people who know you, your challenges, and successes, and they will guide you with understanding and acceptance.
• A.A. literature like Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book), Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 by 12), Living Sober and numerous pamphlets are readily available and helpful on the road to recovery.
Temporary Contact Guidelines
• Your temporary contact will only be with you for a limited time (6 to 7 meetings)
• During those meetings look for a sponsor; another alcoholic who has some time being sober and making progress in the program who can become a continuing contact for you. When you see/hear someone in meetings that “has what you want” you can then ask them to be your sponsor. Want more information about sponsorship? Try this pamphlet: Questions & Answers on Sponsorship (P-15)
• Respect the anonymity of your temporary contact and any others you see in meetings.
• Alcoholics Anonymous and your temporary contact are not responsible to provide housing, food, clothing, jobs, transportation, money, online devices or other welfare or social services
• A.A. experience suggests that men work with men, women work with women
Greater Seattle Intergroup
Call (206) 587-2838 24 hours a day to
talk to a sober alcoholic.
This pamphlet prepared, published and approved by the Treatment
Facilities Committee of District 32/Area 72 (10/21) 1.02