Newcomers welcome

You don't have to do this alone.

If you think you may have a problem with drinking, you are welcome in A.A. Meetings are free, and you can go to one today: call a local A.A. office, open the free Meeting Guide app, or join a meeting online.

Call a local A.A. office Get the Meeting Guide app Meet online now
  • No dues or fees
  • You can just listen
  • Help in English and Spanish

Talk to someone today

Call a local A.A. office

Central offices and intergroups answer the phone and keep the meeting lists for their part of the Area. Several lines are answered 24 hours a day — just call and say you would like to find a meeting.

Language

Region

13 phone lines shown

First, a few main offices around the Area. Type your city to find the closest one, or show them all.

Show 10 more officesShow less

No office matches those choices. Choose “All” to see every office.

Far from an office? In Blythe, Twentynine Palms, Banning–Beaumont or Big Bear, call the nearest office listed here or use the Meeting Guide app. No Spanish-speaking office was found for San Bernardino yet.

Find a meeting today

Four ways to find a meeting

Area 09 does not keep a meeting list of its own. The local A.A. offices do — and they share it with the free Meeting Guide app.

  1. Call a local office

    Talk to a person who can tell you where and when the next meeting near you is.

    See the phone numbers

  2. Meeting Guide app

    “Meeting Guide is an app that helps people find A.A. meetings and resources near them.” — Information on A.A. (F-2)

    App Store Google Play
    About the app on aa.org →

  3. aa.org: Find A.A. near you

    Enter where you are and aa.org shows the nearest central office or intergroup, with its phone number and website.

    Open the finder

  4. Meet online

    The Online Intergroup of A.A. lists online meetings around the world, around the clock, in many languages.

    Find an online meeting

Is A.A. for me?

What A.A. is — in its own words

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who come together to solve their drinking problem. It doesn't cost anything to attend A.A. meetings. There are no age or education requirements to participate. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about their drinking problem.
— What is A.A.? — aa.org

Who A.A. members are

“We are not anti-alcohol and we have no wish to reform the world. We are not allied with any group, cause or religious denomination. We welcome new members, but we do not recruit them.” — aa.org

How A.A. works

“Members use the Twelve Steps to maintain sobriety. Groups use the Twelve Traditions to stay unified.” — aa.org

Your first meeting

What happens at an A.A. meeting

Every group is a little different, but this is what A.A. itself says to expect.

Anyone is welcome

“Anyone with a desire to stop drinking is welcome, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, income, or profession. You don't have to pay anything to attend.”

— aa.org

Listen or share — it's up to you

“You can just sit and listen and learn more about recovery, or you can share about your situation. It's completely up to you.”

— aa.org

How it starts

“The chair usually opens the meeting with the A.A. Preamble and a few remarks. Some call for a moment of silence and/or recite the Serenity Prayer.”

— aa.org — information about meetings

No need to give your name

“It isn't mandatory to identify yourself but it might be helpful if you are attending your first meeting.”

— aa.org — information about meetings

Open or closed?

“Open meetings are available to anyone interested in Alcoholics Anonymous's program of recovery from alcoholism. Closed meetings are for A.A. members only or for those who have a drinking problem and ‘have a desire to stop drinking.’”

— aa.org — information about meetings

What A.A. does not do

From “Information on Alcoholics Anonymous” (F-2) →
  • Solicit members.
  • Keep attendance records or case histories.
  • Follow up or try to control its members.
  • Make medical or psychological diagnoses or prognoses.
  • Provide detox or nursing services, hospitalization, drugs, or any medical or psychiatric treatment.
  • Offer religious services or host/sponsor retreats.
  • Provide housing, food, clothing, jobs, money or any other welfare or social services.
  • Accept any money for its services, or any contributions from non-A.A. sources.
  • Provide letters of reference to parole boards, lawyers, court officials, social agencies, employers, etc.
A.A. costs nothing and is supported through member contributions, so there are no dues or fees for A.A. membership.
— aa.org
More about meetings on aa.org

Help in Spanish

¿Hablas español? Aquí hay ayuda.

El Área 09 tiene seis distritos de habla hispana (del 20 al 25) que cubren toda el Área, y oficinas intergrupales hispanas que contestan el teléfono en español. Llama a la más cercana:

aa.org en español La ViñaEsta página en español

For family and friends

Worried about someone else's drinking?

A.A. is for the person who wants to stop drinking. For their own support, aa.org points family members and friends to Al-Anon — and anyone may come to an open A.A. meeting to learn what A.A. is.

“Al-Anon Family Groups is another Twelve Step program of recovery.”— aa.org

Discover Al-Anon aa.org for families

“Nonalcoholics may attend open A.A. meetings as observers, but only those with a drinking problem may attend closed A.A. meetings.”— Information on A.A. (F-2)

Ask an office about open meetings

Read more

More from aa.org

All A.A. resources

Questions

Common questions

Short answers, mostly in A.A.'s own words.

A.A.'s full list of questions
1 Does it cost anything?

No. In A.A.'s own words: “A.A. costs nothing and is supported through member contributions, so there are no dues or fees for A.A. membership.” (aa.org)

2 Do I have to talk or give my name?

No. “You can just sit and listen and learn more about recovery, or you can share about your situation. It’s completely up to you.” If the chair asks whether anyone is new, “it isn’t mandatory to identify yourself.” (aa.org)

3 How do I know if I am an alcoholic?

Only you can decide. aa.org puts it this way: “If you repeatedly drink more than you intend or want to, you may be an alcoholic.” Its self-assessment can help you think it through. The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.

4 What is the difference between open and closed meetings?

“Open meetings are available to anyone interested in Alcoholics Anonymous’s program of recovery from alcoholism.” “Closed meetings are for A.A. members only or for those who have a drinking problem and ‘have a desire to stop drinking.’” If you think you may have a drinking problem, you are welcome at either. (aa.org)

5 Are there meetings in Spanish?

Yes. Six Spanish-speaking districts (20–25) serve Spanish-speaking A.A. groups across the whole Area, and Hispanic intergroup offices answer the phone in Spanish — see the offices marked Español on this page. aa.org is also available in Spanish.

6 Can I go to a meeting online?

Yes. The Online Intergroup of A.A. lists online meetings around the world, around the clock, in many languages.

7 Is A.A. religious?

A.A. says of itself: “We are not allied with any group, cause or religious denomination.” (What is A.A.?)

8 Can a family member or friend come with me?

Yes, to an open meeting. “Nonalcoholics may attend open A.A. meetings as observers, but only those with a drinking problem may attend closed A.A. meetings.” (Information on Alcoholics Anonymous, F-2). For their own support, aa.org points family and friends to Al-Anon Family Groups.

9 I was sent by a court or a treatment program. Am I welcome?

Yes. A.A. literature says: “We cannot discriminate against any prospective A.A. member, even if he or she comes to us under pressure from a court, an employer, or any other agency.” Signing attendance slips is up to each group: “Each group is autonomous and has the right to choose whether or not to sign court slips.” (Information on Alcoholics Anonymous, F-2)

10 What is a sponsor?

A more experienced member who helps a newer one. A.A. members “give person-to-person service or ‘sponsorship’ to the alcoholic coming to A.A. from any source” (F-2). Read more in Questions & Answers on Sponsorship.

11 Does Area 09 run meetings or keep a meeting list?

No. Area 09 is the general-service body for the A.A. groups in our part of Southern California — it does not run recovery meetings or keep a meeting list. The local central offices and intergroups keep the meeting lists; the free Meeting Guide app shows them on your phone.

About this website

Mid-Southern California Area 09 is the general-service body for A.A. groups in Orange, Riverside and most of San Bernardino County, plus Long Beach, the South Bay and the Harbor area. We do not run meetings ourselves — the local offices on this page can tell you where to go.

About Area 09
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