The following message was sent on November 2, 2026 by the General Service Office to GSRs, DCMs, trustees, area officers and committee chairs, delegates, intergroups and central offices, group contacts, and GSO and Grapevine employees. It is reprinted here in full.
Dear A.A. Friends,
Many A.A.s think of November as “Gratitude Month.” It is a time when A.A. groups and members often choose to make special contributions to their local service offices, committees and the General Service Board. We do this because it is a very direct and spiritual way to participate in A.A. Twelfth Step work and it brings a sense of fulfillment to one of our deep spiritual needs, the desire to belong.
Money and spirituality really do mix! A very simple story from our A.A. history illustrates this clearly:
“Let’s begin with my own sponsor, Ebby,” writes Bill W. in the book Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age. “When Ebby heard how serious my drinking was, he resolved to visit me. He was in New York; I was in Brooklyn. His resolve was not enough; he had to take action, and he had to spend money. He called me on the phone and then got into the subway; total cost, ten cents. At the level of the telephone booth and subway turnstile, spirituality and money began to mix. One without the other would have amounted to nothing at all. Right then and there, Ebby established the principle that A.A. in action calls for the sacrifice of much time and a little money.”
The simplicity of this story, and how it illustrates that carrying the message from one alcoholic to another required a sacrifice of time and money, is as relevant today as it was at this pivotal moment in A.A. history. Today, the General Service Office coordinates many services that help groups and members fulfill their purpose as defined by Ebby’s visit to Bill: carrying the A.A. message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
Listing all the services that the GSO provides would not be feasible here; however, I encourage you to take a moment to review Services Provided by GSO/AAWS and the Seventh Tradition Fact Sheet, which highlight many of them. In addition, several new services are added each year through actions taken at the annual General Service Conference. A notable one this year is the approval of the fifth edition of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, which is scheduled to be published February 1, 2027.
Every contribution to the General Service Board, regardless of its size, is a great expression of gratitude for A.A. and for the substantial sacrifices made by those who came before us. They are also vital to ensure the preservation of our Fellowship for those who haven’t yet found us. Contributions are also an expression of our shared commitment to carrying the A.A. message. Through the generosity of our members and groups, we all help ensure that the hand of A.A. always will be there for those who reach out for help.
In keeping with this spirit, we have received feedback from A.A. members and groups requesting to make contributing simpler and more convenient. In response, we have recently updated our online contributions platform to offer greater flexibility and more convenient ways to contribute. You can access the new platform on aa.org.
Contributions by check are also welcome and may be mailed using the appropriate address below:
A.A. World Services, Inc.
475 Riverside Drive
New York, NY 10115
When Ebby took the subway to Brooklyn to carry the message to Bill, it was a moment that defined one of the basic premises of our program: We give it away to keep it!
With gratitude for all the sacrifices you make for A.A.,
Bob W.
General Manager, G.S.O.