The Intergroup, or Central Office, is often where the sick alcoholic first calls or shows up for A.A. help. In your Intergroup the phones are covered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Our Intergroup covers all of northern New Jersey and most of central New Jersey. We coordinate 12th-Step calls and other phone inquiries; and print your meeting book.

Intergroup cooperates closely with General Service Area 44 in co-chairing most major committees.

1a. The Intergroup DELEGATE

An Intergroup Delegate is an elected trusted servant representing his/her A.A. group at the monthly delegates meeting. They report back to their group on the business of Intergroup and vote their group's conscience on issues requiring a decision.

1b. Right of Decision

From time to time a delegate may have to vote immediately on a matter affecting A.A. as a whole with no time to hold a group conscience meeting pertaining to this particular situation.

The right of decision allows the delegate (as the group's trusted servant) to cast his or her vote concerning a given matter based on all the facts at the time the vote is called.

2. Intergroup Committee

The Intergroup Committee is made up of delegates from the member groups. It deals with the business of Intergroup (facilitating 12th-Step work, meeting books, etc.); Delegates shall hold a Regular Meeting on the first Monday of each month, except on holidays, when the meeting will be held on the 2nd Monday, at the Polish Cultural Foundation, located at 177 Broadway, Clark, NJ.

The order of business shall be conducted in the usual manner with reports of this kind: Committee reports; Office Secretary and Treasurer reports; completion of old business and consideration of new business.

3a. Intergroup Office

The Intergroup Office serves as a clearinghouse for information relative to A.A. and Groups in the Northern and Central New Jersey area. The office serves over 1,000 groups.

Functions of the office include but are not limited to: prompt responding to a wide range of telephone inquiries (over 1,000 calls per month, on the average); arranging for 12th-Step contacts and/or referrals to another appropriate resource; maintaining all associated records relative to groups, meeting lists, Nightwatch and directing requests to appropriate committees.

3b. Volunteers

Most Intergroups function with only one or two paid workers and so rely heavily 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 their circle of friends.

4. Intergroup Chairperson

It shall be the duty of the Chairperson to conduct the monthly Delegates Meeting, and edit the minutes of all Delegates meetings before they are finally prepared and distributed to the Delegates. It shall also be the duty of the Chairperson to supervise the operations and conduct of the Intergroup Office and to report any dereliction or neglect in the performance of duties by any employees to the Trustee Committee for consideration and action thereon. The outgoing Chairperson will serve as an advisor to the newly elected Chairperson for a period of not less than two months following election. The term of the Chairperson is two years.

5. Board of Trustees

This committee will consist of nine members, two appointed by the incoming Chairperson of the Intergroup Committee, along with himself as a member as well as the Treasurer as provided in the By-Laws under Article 11, Section 4, paragraph 2, and five members elected by the Intergroup Delegates at the May meeting at which the Chairperson is elected.

This Committee will serve the same term as the Intergroup Chairperson. This Committee will have jurisdiction over the Intergroup Office personnel and will be the authority relating to the performance of all duties in connection with the office including hiring and termination. All Trustees are automatically members of the Advisory Committee.

6. Intergroup Treasurer

The Treasurer shall countersign all checks prepared in payment of invoices; keep accurate records of all disbursements; receive duplicate deposit slips; keep all statements with records; prepare monthly financial statement for presentation to the Delegates Meetings; prepare annual statement of receipts and expenses and comparison with previous year's report. The Treasurer shall be a full member of all Committees of the Intergroup Committee, and shall serve as Treasurer of all Committees.

7. Recording Secretary

The Recording Secretary shall prepare the minutes of all Delegates Meetings, and any other meetings which the Chairperson may request, and submit the same to the Chairperson for approval or correction before final preparation.

8. Correctional Facilities Committee

The Correctional Facilities Committee, (A Joint Committee) conducts meetings at correctional facilities throughout Northern and Central New Jersey, and provides incarcerated alcoholics with A.A. literature through donations and the "Jail Box."

It also participates with the Correctional Correspondence Service provided by the General Service Office in New York. We provide the newly released inmate with a temporary contact.

9. Treatment Facilities Committee

The Treatment Facilities Committee, (A Joint Committee) coordinates the work of individual A.A. members and groups to carry the message to alcoholics in treatment facilities, "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 the facilities.

10. Public Information

The Public Information Committee, (A Joint Committee) disseminates 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 misinformation about A.A. at the public level.

11. Cooperation With the Professional Community

The C.P.C. Committee, (a Joint Committee) provides information about A.A. to those who have contact with alcoholics through their profession.

Information is provided on where we are, what we are, what we do and what we cannot do. C.P.C. is 12th-Step work through a third party.

12. History & Archives

The History & Archives Committee (A Joint 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.

We also record the stories of our "Old Timers" and then transcribe them to preserve them for future reference. An inventory of all archival materials is currently being organized on computer.

The committee carries the message by creating historical displays, used at service functions, which are also available for groups to use.

13. Hospitality Committee

The Hospitality Committee is responsible for recording group attendance and welcoming Delegates and Alternates to the monthly Intergroup meetings.

14. Intergroup Liaison and Alternate

Attend monthly Advisory, Delegates and quarterly Joint Unity Meetings. Attend NNJGS Area Committee Meetings and Assemblies, representing Intergroup. Arrange for an Intergroup representative to be in attendance at all NNJGS workshops. Communicate between the Convention Committee, Advisory and Delegates.

15. Northern N.J. General Service Liaison

The NNJGS Area 44 liaison to Intergroup attends all Intergroup Advisory and Delegates Meetings; carries information to these bodies which pertains to any Area 44 event. The liaison will be available to answer questions relating to these occurrences or relative concerns.

16. Nightwatch

Nightwatch is the system we use to answer calls from alcoholics in need of help when the office is closed. 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 Nightwatch manuals so that current contacts are always available.

Now over ten years old, Nightwatch has allowed your Intergroup to provide telephone coverage 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

17. Website Committee

The Website Committee develops and maintains the Intergroup side of the Northern New Jersey website (www.nnjaa.org). The purpose of this website is to provide general information about Alcoholics Anonymous  in Northern New Jersey. This information is to facilitate the face-to-face meetings of still suffering alcoholics with those in recovery and to provide information and resources for all alcoholics about Alcoholics Anonymous in Northern New Jersey. 

The website includes a regularly updated Meeting List.

18. Bookers Exchange Meeting

This meeting is held four times a year on dates fixed by the Bookers Committee. It is on a Sunday morning starting at 7:00, at 21 Commerce Drive, Cranford (Exit 136 GSP). Notices are sent to the groups not later than the previous Monday of the set date. Groups exchange speaking teams, and incoming meetings for hospitals and institutions are booked.

19. Group Concerns

The right of any group member to express his/her concern regarding problems of their group or A.A. as a whole.

Information for this pamphlet was gathered from the following sources:

The A.A. Service Manual-Concept Three

Intergroup Meeting Book

G.S.R. Workbooks

Intergroup By-Laws and Articles of Association

The A.A. Group Pamphlet

A.A. Guidelines: Central or Intergroup Offices

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