YOUR INTERGROUP

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Northern New Jersey Intergroup, Inc.
2400 Morris Avenue, Suite 106
Union, NJ 07083-5706

Introduction

Northern New Jersey Intergroup is an organization created and supported by A.A. Groups of Northern New Jersey to act as a Central Office. It maintains group records, provides meeting listings, responds to phone inquiries and coordinates A.A. activities that span multiple groups. Member groups appoint a Delegate. The monthly meeting of Intergroup Delegates conducts the business of Intergroup, is a voice for group concerns and acts to disseminate information to be brought back to home group meetings.

Intergroup is often the first point of contact for individuals newly introduced to Alcoholics Anonymous. The Intergroup phone is answered 24/7 by knowledgeable staff and members who can provide information on meeting locations and answer general questions about the fellowship.These services are provided for Northern New Jersey and much of Central New Jersey.

Intergroup coordinates with A.A. General Service Office (GSO) Area 44 and supports a number of joint committees that, among their many functions, bring A.A. meetings to jails, institutions and treatment centers. The Committees also provide information to the general public and professional individuals. Intergroup and Area 44 maintain a joint website for those new to A.A. as well as the general membership.

Summary of Functions

The Member Groups and Delegates

Member groups are admitted to Intergroup through an application and admission process at the monthly meeting of Intergroup Delegates. The Intergroup Delegate is an elected representative of his/her A.A. group. Monthly meetings provide a forum where comittees report on their activites, and delegates voice group concerns. Delegates are expected to bring information and issues back to their group as well as vote their group's conscience on matters requiring a decision.

Intergroup Office

The Intergroup Office serves as a clearinghouse for information related to A.A. and A.A. Groups in the Northern and Central New Jersey area. The office serves over 1,000 groups. Functions of the office include response to a wide range of telephone inquiries (over 500 calls per month, on the average), preparation of meeting lists, databases and coordination of 12th Step contacts.

Support

Contributions

In addition to the participation of A.A. Delegates in activities, the primary resource for Intergroup is member group contributions. In keeping with A.A.'s 7th Tradition, accepted contributions are limited to A.A. members and member groups. Intergroup is self-supporting within A.A. and accepts no outside funding.

Volunteers

Most Intergroups function with only one or two paid workers and rely on A.A. volunteers for help. Many A.A.s have found that serving at Intergroup - answering calls from alcoholics and doing what else needs to be done - greatly enriches their sobriety and broadens connection to the fellowship.


Intergroup Functions

Meeting Information

Periodically, member groups provide updated information about meeting location, times, type of meeting as well as those holding key group positions. This information is maintained in a meeting database. From the database, a meeting book is compiled and printed for distribution to the fellowship and interested public. The database is also used as the source data for a website "meeting finder" accessed at www.nnjaa.org.

Phone Inquiry

Intergroup provides and answers a New Jersey toll free number. This line is answered 24/7 to respond to inquiries about meetings and A.A. in general for members and the general public. This resource is considered essential for those new to A.A. who are looking for help with alcohol related issues.

Nightwatch

Nightwatch is the system we use to answer calls from alcoholics in need of help when the Intergroup Office staff is not available. To keep the system current, Intergroup sends out 12th Step Contact Sheets once a year. The group secretary lists those members of the group willing to be 12th Step contacts. The lists are added to the Night watch manuals so that current contacts are always available. Nightwatch enables Intergroup to provide telephone coverage 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Booker's Exchange Meeting

A.A. Meetings often include non-group speakers. The Bookers Exchange is a quarterly meeting for A.A. Group Representatives interested in exchanging speakers for future meetings. The Booker's Exchange is held four times a year on dates fixed in advance by the Bookers Committee. It is traditionally held on a Sunday morning.

Group Concerns

A.A. Groups will occasionally have internal issues, inter-group issues or questions about interpretation of the A.A. Traditions. Intergroup is a forum for Group Delegates to bring group issues to an open meeting for discussion and resolution.

Joint Unity

Northern New Jersey Intergroup and GSO Area 44 cover approximately the same geographic area and have overlapping group membership. These two A.A. entities maintain close relations and meet quarterly to coordinate activities. There are a number of Joint Committees whose budget is split between the two and whose activities are overseen by and reported back to each.


Joint Committees

Correction Facilities Committee

The Corrections Facilities Committee coordinates A.A. meetings at correctional facilities and institutions throughout Northern and Central New Jersey. These meetings bring A.A. to incarcerated alcoholics through meetings provided by A.A. volunteers with the support of A.A. literature purchased by "Jail Box" donations from A.A. groups. The Committee oversees a "temporary contact" program to introduce newly released inmates to their local A.A. meetings.

Treatment Facilities Committee

The Treatment Facilities Committee coordinates the work of individual A.A. members and groups to carry the message to alcoholics in treatment facilities and in "Bridging the Gap" from the facility to the larger A.A. community. The committee also explains how A.A. works to the administrators and staff of such facilities.

Public Information

The Public Information Committee distributes information to the public (non-alcoholic organizations, community leaders, school groups, etc.) and provides literature and speakers for various audiences. It is also concerned with anonymity breaks and accurate information about A.A. at the public level.

Cooperation with the Professional Community

The CPC Committee provides information about A.A. to individuals and groups who have contact with alcoholics in a professional capacity. This includes the medical, law enforcement and legal communities. Information is provided about "where we are, what we are, what we do and what we do not do".

History & Archives

The History & Archives Committee preserves A.A.'s history for present and future generations of alcoholics. It informs our membership of the historic role played by New Jersey in A.A. history. The committee carries the message by creating historical displays used at various A.A. functions. These are also available for group use.

Newsletter

The Newsletter Committee compiles edits and composes "This Day". This newsletter for A.A. in Northern NJ is published quarterly and includes contributions from the fellowship, announcement of upcoming events and other items of interest to both the general membership of A.A. and local to Northern New Jersey.

Website Committee

The Website Committee develops and maintains the Northern New Jersey A.A. website www.nnjaa.org. The website is an information resource for those new to A.A., the general A.A. membership and in support of committee activities. The site includes a "meeting finder" database which can be accessed through a number of search criteria. Group, District and Northern New Jersey events are also posted.


Structure and Governance

Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation

Northern New Jersey Intergroup, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation established with the primary purpose of coordinating the efforts of member groups and individuals in carrying the message of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Bylaws provide the framework of Intergroup with descriptions of positions, duties and responsibilities.

The Intergroup Committee

Delegates from Intergroup member groups meet periodically to deal with the business of Intergroup. These meetings are traditionally held during the first week of the month with an agenda that includes sub-committee activities, liaison organization activities, group concerns and current governance issues.

Board of Trustees

The Intergroup Board of Trustees oversees the elected officers, conducts Intergroup business and activities, and oversees the functions of the Intergroup Office as per the Intergroup Bylaws. The board is comprised of nine members, two appointed by the incoming Intergroup Chairperson, who, along with the Treasurer are elected; five members are elected by the Intergroup Delegates after consideration of a candidate's A.A. service experience. All board members serve for a period of two years.

Intergroup Chairperson

The Chairperson conducts the monthly Delegates Meeting and oversees distribution of meeting minutes. The Chairperson supervises the operation and conduct of the Intergroup Office with guidance from the Trustees. The term of the Chairperson is two years.

Treasurer

The Treasurer prepares monthly financial statements and reports on the financial health of Intergroup to the monthly Delegates Meeting. In addition to overseeing day to day financial affairs, the Treasurer prepares an annual statement of receipts and disbursements and transmits auditable financials for tax return preparation to the appropriate parties.

Recording Secretary

The Recording Secretary shall prepare the minutes of all Delegates Meetings, and any other meetings which the Chairperson may request.


Northern New Jersey Intergroup welcomes requests for further information

© Northern New Jersey Intergroup, Inc.

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I am Responsible...

When anyone, anywhere,
reaches out for help, I want
the hand of AA always to be there.
And for that: I am responsible...

Declaration of Unity...

This we owe to A.A.’s future:
to place our common welfare first;
to keep our Fellowship united.
For on A.A. unity depend our lives
and the lives of those to come.