Santa Barbara & Ventura Counties ACA Intergroup
What Intergroup is, and why we support it.
To appreciate what Intergroup is, it sometimes helps to start with what Intergroup is not. Intergroup is not an authority figure and is not here to tell anyone what to do, what to think, how to run meetings, or what to do with 7th Tradition funds. Intergroup is an ACA WSO sanctioned assembly of unpaid local meeting volunteers, devoting their time to help ensure ACA thrives in our local area. By members, for members. Ideally every ACA meeting will have an active Intergroup Representative (IGR) that attends the quarterly Intergroup meetings, and participates. Your Intergroup is funded thru donations by individuals and meetings from around the area. Intergroup in turn services the various meetings and community through the following:
- Serve as a comprehensive news and information source for local ACA’s
- Carry the message to those who still suffer
- Provide informational presentations and community outreach at facilities
- Fund and support new meeting development
- Fund and organize ACA Unity Days, or picnics
- Fund and maintain our local area website: sb-aca.org
- Help bring in speakers from other areas
- Develop and distribute materials that help spread the ACA word in the community
- Represent our area by sending a delegate to the ACA World Services Organization (WSO) Annual Business Conference to help shape policy
- Represent our area by having a delegate represent our area by participating in the Western Region of ACA
- Pursue other events that benefit ACA and recovery
- Coordinate and distribute a printed meeting list
- Network and exchange ideas with other Intergroups for the betterment of the program
- Circulate news between meetings
- Remind meetings of their expired or defaulted WSO meeting listings
- Provide resources to meetings
- Help unify meetings
- Help people find meetings
- Provide discounted ACA literature locally to ACA groups
- Donate books and literature to libraries, hospitals and correctional facilities
- Ensure ACA is represented in local recovery listings
- Help other Intergroups, and participate in communication between Intergroups
- and more…..
Does your meeting participate or support Intergroup in any form? In addition to the need for attendance, these important tasks have costs, and can function much more effectively with your help. Your help can take the form of communication, participation, and or support. As the ACA program experiences its resurgence, it is more important than ever that your group participates, and we provide a unified front in our effort to grow the program.
Thank you for your consideration.
SBVC ACA Intergroup meets…
The SBVC ACA Intergroup generally meets quarterly via Zoom the first Saturday of January, April, July, and October from 4:30-6:00pm.
Contact Duncan at 805-705-5060 for information. All members are welcome.
Help Wanted:
– Public Information: members needed to help conduct outreach, distribute basic info pamphlets with meeting lists to mental health providers and facilities, and to provide panels to share ACA recovery information and experience at facilities.
– Spanish speaking members to help start Spanish speaking ACA meetings.
– Social Gathering Team to organize fun social events for members, families & friends.
– Lending Librarian needed to share ACA related books with local members.
SBVC ACA Literature Store
Paul S. is our IG ACA Literature Book Store manager. Meeting groups may contact Paul to purchase discounted ACA literature. Groups please see guidelines and information at the link below. Members may purchase ACA literature from ACA groups or WSO. Paul only accepts cash for literature purchases.
Intergroup Literature Prices and Forms
Group Donations to Intergroup
ACA WSO suggests that meeting groups donate 7th Tradition funds in excess of prudent reserve to local Intergroups and WSO. While WSO suggests a ratio of 60% to Intergroup and 40% to WSO, your group is free to donate as you choose. Your group may opt to donate a larger portion to our Intergroup to help with local expenses. Group donations may be made to our SBVC ACA Intergroup Treasurer.
Interim Guidelines and Procedures for Santa Barbara & Ventura Counties ACA Intergroup
Adopted March 9, 2014: pdf file