What is the Intergroup?
An Intergroup, or Central Office as it is sometimes called, "is an A.A.® service that involves partnership among groups in a community—just as A.A. groups
themselves are partnerships of individuals. A central office is established
to carry out certain functions common to all the groups—functions
which are best handled by a centralized office—and it is usually
maintained, supervised, and supported by these groups in their
general interest. It exists to aid the groups in their common purpose
of carrying the A.A. message to the alcoholic who still suffers." (Reprinted from A.A. Guidelines, Central or Intergroup Offices, pamphlet MG-02 with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc).
Today the Annapolis Area Intergroup provides many functions that are not found in the General Service structure. For example, the Annapolis Area Intergroup offers the following services for groups in Anne Arundel County, mostly south of Interstate 695:
- publishes a directory of meetings in that region, as well as including some meetings just outside that region in nearby Prince George's, Calvert and Queen Anne's Counties;
- publishes a bulletin of monthly events and activites in the AAIG area, along with a list of anniversaries being celebrated each month;
- acts as a central clearing house for General Service Conference-approved A.A. literature for the groups in the region;
- provides social activites for the alcoholic member and their family, such as dances and picnics;
- provides workshops for the A.A. member to expand their understanding of the history and functions of various A.A. components;
- acts as a liaison between A.A. and local and regional organizations in affairs dealing with alcoholism, such as outreach to the medical profession, treatment facilities, and correctional facilities; and
- staffs a telephone number available at all times for the suffering alcoholic seeking help with their problem.
