What is AIS?

We are lucky to have an AIS office in our area. Hopefully this will help you understand what AIS does and how important it is to support both financially and as a volunteer!

“An Al-Anon Information Service…is a local service established and maintained by one or more districts or by groups located close enough to one another for easy access and communication"…

An Al-Anon Information Service usually performs the following functions:

• Maintains a listing in the local phone directory so that those seeking information about Al-Anon and Alateen can easily find it.

• Maintains a post office box or an office address for listing with the World Services Office. • Receives postal mail, e-mail and phone inquiries, and forwards them to the appropriate group for response or follow-up.

• In cooperation with the Area Group Records Coordinator, updates, publishes and distributes lists of group meetings in their local area.

• Plans and conducts program-exchange meetings where the groups’ Chairpersons or Program Chairpersons exchange team of speakers for a scheduled period.

• Serves as an avenue for local public outreach service, which is channeled through the districts whenever possible.

• May maintain a stock of Conference Approved Literature (CAL) and may register with the WSO as a Literature Distribution Center (LDC) to sell CAL.

• May maintain a Web site that is linked to their Area Web site.

• Holds periodic meetings attended by all the Information Service Representatives where activity reports, including a financial update, are made and matters regarding groups are discussed.

• Prints and distributes its own newsletter of local Al-Anon/Alateen activities for the groups that support it.”