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Public Information Help

Greetings from your Area 14 (North Florida) Public Information Coordinator.

What Public Information committees do
Public Information committees carry the message of recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous by informing the general public about the A.A. program. This includes members of the media and others who are in a position to amplify our voice, as well as sober members of our fellowship who need information about what A.A. does and what it does not do.

Why we do it
The A.A. General Service Board formed the first Public Information committee in 1956. At that time, the following statement of "A.A.'s movement-wide public information policy" was written and approved at the General Service Conference:
In all public relations, A.A.'s sole objective is to help the still suffering alcoholic. Always mindful of the importance of personal anonymity, we believe this can be done by making known to him and to those who may be interested in his problems our own experience as individuals and as a Fellowship in learning to live without alcohol. We believe that our experience should be made available freely to all who express sincere interest. We believe further that all efforts in this field should always reflect our gratitude of the gift of sobriety and our awareness that many outside A.A. are equally concerned with the serious problems of alcoholism.

How we do it

  • We place A.A. Conference-approved literature such as the Big Book, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions and Living Sober in public libraries.
  • We secure permission to place literature racks in high schools and libraries and other public locations and keep the racks stocked with appropriate literature and meeting schedules.
  • We communicate with our local school district, offering A.A. literature and/or presentations to students about A.A.
  • We respond to speaking requests at non-A.A. meetings in the district.
  • We provide and staff booths at local health fairs.
  • We secure permission to place meeting schedules at the front desks of local hotels.
  • We spread the word among fellow A.A.s of the need to do CPC work and how it helps us fulfill our primary purpose.

How you can help

The Public Information Committee needs all types of volunteers, from the shy to the bold:
  • We need members to help plan events, stuff envelopes, and fill literature racks in libraries, schools and other public locations.
  • We need members to contact police stations, hospitals, and senior centers about placing literature and schedules in their facilities.
  • We need members who would like to learn to speak to groups or as part of a panel and who are excited at the prospect of speaking to students about A.A.

This type of service work does not require much time and usually can be done at your convenience. In the process, you could learn a lot more about A.A. and how it works. You could grow personally from trying a new activity. You could have the satisfaction of knowing that engaging in Public Information service work is a wonderful opportunity to practice our primary purpose.

To learn more about how you can get involved in Public Information service work, get in touch with your District Committee Member and ask if the district has a Public Information committee. If not, consider starting one! Resources for how to do this are available through your Area 14 Public Information Committee. You can contact the Public Information service coordinator at pi@aanorthflorida.org.

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