Southern Minnesota Area Assembly

“The treasurer reviews the 990 before filing”

“Copies are available upon request”

“The southern minnesota area assembly (smaa) is 1 of the 93 service areas in the united states and canada that makes up the volunteer service structure of alcoholics anonymous. Smaa serves the alcoholics anonymous (aa) members and groups located in southern minnesota. Smaa's mission echoes that of aa as a whole: "alcoholics anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for aa membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for aa membership. We are self-supporting through our own voluntary contributions. Aa is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety."”

“General duties and assistence with programs”

“The southern minnesota area assembly (smaa) services many functions: 1) we elect a delegate to represent us at the national general service conference of alcoholics anonymous, held annually near aa's headquarters in new york, ny; 2) smaa has 13 appointed committee chairpersons; we hold quarterly committee meetings to plan activities and share information with local service volunteers; 3) annually, we hold 3 "assembly" meetings where officers and chairpersons report back to the aa groups we serve, and conduct smaa-wide business: in 2018, we started providing american sign language interpreters at these assembly meetings, so our deaf and hard-of- hearing members can fully participate; 4) we publish a quarterly newsletter wherein officers and committee chairs report on their activities, and in which our financial reports are published; 5) we provide service information and literature displays at unaffiliated conferences held across southern minnesota each year. Smaa's main goal is to help alcoholics who are seeking a solution to their drinking problem. We do that through a variety of activities: 1) educating professionals about what aa can do, and what we can't do for alcoholics; 2) coordinating publication of public service announcements about how to find aa in southern minnesota; 3) our "pink can plan" collects contributions from our members, to buy aa literature for incarcerated people; 4) our "temporary contact program" receives requests from patients being released from treatment facilities, for a local aa contact to introduce them to aa meetings in their home community; 5) we provide a similar service at minnesota dept. Of corrections' transition fairs, to help offenders nearing release to get connected with aa in their home community; 6) smaa endeavors to maintain a current database of aa meetings for the "meeting guide" mobile app, to help people locate aa meetings on their mobile devices. During 2018 we purchased and staffed information booths at the labor, health, and benefit fair at minnesota assn of deaf citizens' deaf awareness day, and at the minnesota state fair.”