The AA

Dear AA’er:

The purpose of the AA “Bridging

the Gap” Program is to connect the

Corrections

inmate AA member with Alcoholics

Anonymous   in   their   community

upon  their  release.  You  are being

”Bridging

asked to be that AA “Bridging the

Gap”

volunteer. When a soon-to-be

released AA inmate contacts us, we

the Gap”

match them to a Volunteer in their

community.  We call you, get the

okay and then send the information

Program

along  to  you. Your job is simple.

You contact the AA inmate and ar-

range to take them to

an AA meeting

with 24 hours of their release. Your

commitment  is  taking  them  to  a

minimum of three and a maximum

of  six meetings. During this time,

you help them get acquainted, get

phone numbers, and perhaps locate

a  sponsor  or  home  group.  Please

An AA

Service

note: it is not intended that you be-

come

their

sponsor,

even

Opportunity

temporarily. It is best if that work is

not  used  in  any  way  to  describe

your     service.     Volunteers     are

Connecting Inside

“bridges” to the AA community. You

introduce them to other winners so

AA Members to the

they have a broad, healthy base and

you are available to “bridge” again.

AA Community

Lastly,  we  request  that  volunteers

have  an  active  relationship  with

their own sponsor and a minimum

of one year of continuous sobriety.

If you are willing to be the hand of

AA when an inmate reaches out for

Correctional Facilities Committee

help,  just  complete  the  attached

P.O.Box 1402

Volunteer  Application,  cut  off  and

mail it to the address on the form.

Bowling Green Station

Keep the balance of this pamphlet

New York, N.Y. 10274-1402

for future reference.

BRIDGING THE GAP PROCEDURE

1.

Inside AA members are eligible for this

inmate would like to go to an AA meet-

ing. This is a basic 12th Step call.

program  if  they  have  less  than  six

months left to serve and have been at-

6.

If they want to go to a meeting, you

tending AA meetings on a regular basis.

can make arrangements to pick them up

2.

The inmate fills out the application  and

or to meet at the AA meeting. On all

mails  it to the state-wide PO Box at

12th Step calls, AA suggests that two

Bowling Green Station. It is the respon-

people meet the person you are making

sibility of the SENY Chair to distribute

contact with.

applications  (as  they are received) to

7.

Help the new AA to make the transition

County Chairs in the area the inmate is

from AA meetings inside the walls to AA

being released to.

meetings

on the outside. Introduce the

3.

County Chairs are responsible for finding

new AA to others at the meeting, let

Volunteers  to  match  the  requests  in

them know about other meetings in the

their areas.

area, and tell them about sponsorship

4.

The Volunteer is to write a letter to the

and the importance of a home group.

inmate,  letting  the  inmate  know that

This commitment is not about sponsor-

they are the AA contact and a paragraph

ship – it is about helping to make the

or two about themselves as an introduc-

transition to outside meetings easier.

tion.   We   also   suggest   sending   a

8.

After  six  meetings,  the  Volunteer  is

meeting list for the area the inmate is

asked to let go and let God.

being released to.

9.

After the Volunteer has completed the

A.

We suggest Volunteers do not use

Bridging the Gap contact, please inform

their home address, but use the

the  County  Chair  and  let  them  know

Corrections PO Box. All mail will

how it went… we can learn from our ex-

be forwarded to the  Volunteer.

periences.

B.

If, for any reason, the Volunteer

cannot complete the Bridging The

Gap request, he/she should notify

the  Corrections  County  Chair  so

Correctional Facilities Committee

other arrangements can be made.

P.O. Box 1402

5.

The  Volunteer will call the inmate on

Bowling Green Station

the day of release at the address the

New York, N.Y. 10274-1402

inmate is being released to and ask if

the

BRIDGING THE GAP VOLUNTEER APPLICATION

Name

:

Sex :

________________________________________________________________________

M ___F ___

Address

:

____________________________________________________________________________________

City

:

State

:

Zip Code:

____________________________________________________________________________________

Daytime Phone

:

Nighttime Phone

:

____________________________________________________________________________________

Home Group

:

Location

:

____________________________________________________________________________________