Welcome to Central Jersey Intergroup
(From our Intergroup Representative Handbook)
When Alcoholics Anonymous first started, the individual groups in our area handled all the twelfth-step work themselves. As our membership grew, it became impossible for individual groups to handle all the aspects of twelfth-step work alone.
These individual groups gathered together to form a centralized point of contact for all the member groups. Thus, Central Jersey Intergroup (CJI) was born.
CJI maintains a 24-hour hotline for alcoholics in need, arranges 12-step calls, publishes meeting lists, supplies literature and much more. CJI has committees for Archives, Answering Service, Computer, Correctional Facilities, Hospitals & Institutions, Literature, Meeting List, Newsletter, Public Information, Steering Committee, Unity and Web Site.
These committees are manned by volunteers and require support. Without the help of volunteering alcoholics, these committees and the much-needed services they offer would cease to exist. Volunteering at Central Jersey Intergroup provides an opportunity to give back that which was freely given to you.
With our primary purpose foremost in our minds, this Intergroup Representative Handbook references what has worked for CJI in the past. It is subject to change and it is hoped that any changes will enhance our primary purpose, to carry the message to the still suffering alcoholic.
Intergroup Panel Chairs
Chair
The chairperson presides at all intergroup meetings, except Steering Committee, and maintains general supervision of Intergroup affairs.
Co-Chair
The co-chairperson acts in the chairperson's absence, maintains the office and the day time phone commitments.
Recording Secretary
The recording secretary takes minutes of all Intergroup business meetings and Steering Committee meetings and provides the minutes of business (body) meetings to the groups.
Financial Secretary
The financial secretary’s main function is to make sure all incoming monies are spent in accordance with the by-laws and budget voted on by the groups. The financial secretary keeps all financial records. With the cooperation of the officers and committee chairs, the financial secretary develops and proposes a yearly budget for approval by the groups.
Treasurer
The treasurer collects all contributions from member groups and literature sales and reports donations received to the groups.
Trustee
The Trustees serve as advisors to CJI. They must have at least ten years of continuous sobriety, a record of service in A.A. and previous experience and knowledge of intergroup.
All officers, committee chairs, and trustees shall only hold one position at a time.
Intergroup Committees
Description of CJI Services
Intergroup Office
Your Intergroup, or central office, is often where the sick alcoholic first calls or shows up for A.A. help.
Although local Intergroup operate independently of A.A.’s worldwide service structure, they are a vital part of the Fellowship. In most areas, any group that so wishes can belong to the local Intergroup, which is supported by contributions from its member groups. These contributions are purely voluntary.
Vacant
The Archives committee is responsible for acquiring and cataloging additional items directly related to Central Jersey Intergroup. Responsibilities of this committee include the preservation and protection of these items for future generations of A.A. members.
Allyssa T.
The Treatment Facilities Committee concern is the alcoholic in a rehab, whether in a long or short-term institution. This committee schedules commitments ad provides information and literature to rehabs and other institutions.
Laura F.
The Literature and Grapevine Committee assures that CJI is stocked with A.A. approved books and pamphlets. These are sold to groups or individuals at cost in order to provide the A.A. message to as many people as possible. This committee also helps make the Grapevine©, A.A.'s meeting in print, available to alcoholics.
The committee brings assorted literature to CJI functions for people who may not be able to make it to the office when supplies run low. As a service to groups, the committee will bring any ordered literature to the monthly CJI meeting. Just call the office and place your order and it will be waiting for you the first Wednesday of every month.
Rickey S.
The Meeting List Committee publishes abd maintains the CJI Meeting List of Alcoholics Anonymous. Responsibilities include maintaining an accurate listing of registered A.A. meetingas in the CJI area. The meeting list is published and distributed to groups to provide everyone (including newcomers and old-timers) with current information on the meetings in Trenton and surrounding areas.
Mike C.
The Newsletter Committee puts together and publishes the CJI Newsletter on a bi-monthly basis. Its mission is to provide information on A.A. related activities in the area. This includes announcements of personal and group anniversaries; listing the donations made to help keep CJI functioning, meeting list changes prior to the regular publishing of new lists and other information.
Libby S.
The goal of the social committee is to arrange for social events throughout the year that include families and friends of AA members. Events include picnics, special trips, holiday parties, and much more.
Jim G.
The Answering Service Committee maintains the “Twelve Step” response list and the scheduling of hot line phone commitments. This committee assures that when CJI receives a call for help that someone is there to give the needed help.
When a ride is needed to a detox or rehab or a meeting, when a drunk cries for help, CJI answers. A list of recovering alcoholics that are willing to provide assistance in various forms is kept at the CJI office. When a cry for help comes in, these people are contacted and given the information for follow-up.
The Answering Service Committee provides a necessary service to still suffering alcoholics by maintaining an accurate listing of volunteers and assuring that the hot line is always available when needed.
John R.
The purpose of Public Information Service is to provide accurate A.A. information to the public when requested. PI Committees visit schools, business and community meetings for this purpose. They also serve as resources for our friends in the local media emphasizing our traditions of anonymity, singleness of purpose and non-affiliation, as well as, offering A.A. public service announcements to radio and television statements.
New Committee. Chair to be determined.
Sam A.
The Unity Committee schedules and books commitments for CJI representatives to “take a meeting” to groups in the area. The purpose is for one alcoholic to go to groups to talk about what CJI does.
Pam R.
The committee developed and maintains the CJI Web Site and the CJI computer equipment. This includes posting the current CJI meeting list on the Website. The Website in used to communicate what is going on with CJI, and A.A. as a whole.
The General Service area 45 Web Site Guidelines have been adopted to help ensure adherence to the Traditions of AA.
The CJI Web Site is your web site and as such, we hope to use it to carry the information that is important to you and your Group.
If your Group has an anniversary or event you would like published, please let us know. A month lead time is preferred because that gives us time to get it on the site and people time to find it.
John R./Fran W.
The Correctional Facilities Committee “concern is the ‘alcoholic behind-the-walls’, whether in a long- or short-term institution”. This committee schedules prison commitments and provides information and literature to prisons and other institutions.
Volunteers bring A.A. meetings to the prisons and give alcoholics an introduction to AA on the “outside.”
Assigned as needed
From time to time special committees may be appointed by the Chairperson, in order to handle special projects on an “As Needed” basis. These committee chairs are afforded the same rights and privileges as all other committee chairs.
These committees keep the Steering Committee and the Body fully informed, requesting support when needed. These committees dissolve when the special project has been completed.
Duties/Functions
Methods and goals vary from one area to another, but generally Intergroups responsibility is to:
- Respond to phone or walk-in requests for help from sick alcoholics and, when appropriate, arrange for A.A. volunteers (listed with Intergroup) to accompany them to an A.A. meeting.
- Maintain “A.A.” listings in local phone directories, handle mail inquiries, and route them to local groups, thus distributing Twelfth Step work on a geographical basis so that newcomers are assured of help.
- Distribute up-to-date meeting lists.
- Stock and sell A.A. literature.
- Serve as a communications center for participating groups – often issuing regular newsletters or bulletins to keep groups informed about one another.
- Arrange systems for groups to exchange speakers. Coordinate the efforts of Intergroup committees. Sometimes provide information on treatment facilities, hospitals and halfway houses.
- Handle requests from local news media, arrange local radio or TV programs about A.A., and furnish speakers for schools and non-A.A. organizations.
- Cooperate with local, district and area committees. (Some intergroups elect members to serve as area liaisons and welcome their participation in intergroup meetings.)
- Maintain communication and cooperation – but not affiliation – with the community and helping professionals in the field of alcoholism.
From the A.A. pamphlet “The A.A. Group… where it all begins” Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115, pages 44 – 45. Used with permission.
What are Intergroup Representatives responsible for?
The intergroup representative is responsible to vote their group’s conscience at intergroup body meetings and to inform intergroup about the concerns of their group. The intergroup representative tries to keep their group well informed about what the intergroup is doing. The intergroup representative is responsible for participating in intergroup body meetings with other such representatives monthly to share their group’s experience in carrying the A.A. message through the services provided by CJI.