The meeting guide app now supports online meetings.
Click here for full details
Please send your group's SIA Rep to t
he next General Business Meeting to be held ONLINE on Tuesday June 30th, 8pm.Visit the SIA General Business Meeting page for details
For a limited time get free access to the latest issues.
Visit AA GRAPEVINE WEBSITE today!
As NYS starts the process of reopening, AA groups are too. Please find information and resources to help your group navigate this transition.
Visit our RE-OPENING MEETINGS page
Online Meetings
Many groups have moved their regular meetings online.
Read on for instructions on how to join.
We encourage you to protect your anonymity when joining an online meeting. To do this you may have to take a few simple steps BEFORE you join the meeting. Follow this link to learn more.
Groups, SIA and other AA service entities have seen a big drop in 7th Tradition contributions. Although meetings have moved online, there are many excellent reasons why AA members should consider their continued support. Follow this link to learn more.
Table of Contents — (click to jump to that section)
7th Tradition Contributions
Help SIA help YOU stay connected
Thwarting Zoom Bombers
Learn more about Zoom security
Upcoming AA Meetings
Upcoming Meetings
| Time | Meeting | Location | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midnight | DAYTIME LOVE & SERVICE COVID Reopen Status Unknown | United Methodist Church | BAY SHORE |
Joining w/ Google Hangouts Meets
SIA has developed a solution for groups to move their meetings online at no additional cost to your group. Click here for more info
On a smartphone or tablet, first install the Google Hangout Meets app available in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
Find a meeting you’d like to join and click on its name to go to that meeting’s details page. Click on the Google Hangouts button to join the meeting using Zoom.
Joining a meeting by Phone
There are are few Phone Only meetings. Additionally, some meetings held using Hangout Meets or Zoom meetings allow you to participate by dialing in over a phone line.
To Join by phone click the Join by phone button or dial the number manually.
To do this you’ll need the phone number, PIN and possibly a PWD.
(e.g. +1 222 333 4444 PIN 555 666 777# PWD: 888 999)
See Phone Meetings for a complete list of phone access numbers to meetings you can join by phone.Joining w/ Zoom
On a smartphone or tablet, first install the ZOOM app available in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
Find a meeting you’d like to join and click on its name to go to that meeting’s details page. Click on the Zoom button to join the meeting using Zoom.
Many meetings require a password. Please read the notes section carefully to find the password. A few meetings require you to contact them via text or email to get the password.
Some Zoom meetings list their ID and Password in the description. You can write these down if you’d rather not have to return to this website to get the info.
To join a meeting with with its Meeting ID: launch ZOOM first, then enter the Meeting ID and then the Password.
Your Group Online
Click to learn more about how your group can move its meetings online!!
Finding Phone Meetings
Click here for a complete list of meetings you can join by phone
SIA General Business Meeting ONLINE
Click for full details.
The OTHER 24
Monthly Workshops on the Traditions and the Concepts - April's Workshop will be ONLINE
Anonymity and Online Meetings
In the rush to host and participate in online AA meetings, Intergroups, Groups and Individual Members may not have considered all the issues involved in the spiritual foundation of recovery – ANONYMITY.
Because the links to these meetings are publicly displayed and available, anyone from anywhere can join these meetings. This is a wonderful opportunity for the newly sober or those that are struggling with their drinking to learn more about AA. But this also means that non-Alcoholics may be in these meetings.
We strongly suggest that you treat these meetings as OPEN meetings and take the few simple steps necessary to protect your anonymity BEFORE YOU JOIN A MEETING.
Protecting your Anonymity / Best Practices
On Google Hangouts:
- Visit //myaccount.google.com/personal-info and change your Google account’s Public Profile and consider not displaying your Full Name or your Profile Picture
- Alternatively, log out of all Google accounts before joining a meeting. When you join the meeting you’ll be asked to provide a name which can be anything you like
- Visit Zoom Profile Setting and change your Zoom account’s Public Profile and consider not displaying your Full Name or your Profile Picture
- Alternatively, do not log into your ZOOM account. When you join the meeting you’ll be asked to provide a name which can be anything you like
- Turn your microphone off when you’re not speaking. This helps keep interruptions and background noise to a minimum, as well as protecting your anonymity
- Turn your video camera off when you are not speaking
- If you’re concerned about your house showing in the background, sit with your back to a wall
- Use headphones to avoid having others in your household listen in on the meeting
SIA and Hangout Meets
SIA has a solution for groups wishing to move their meetings online using Google Hangout Meets and their existing SIA email account (groupname@suffolkny-aa.org).
If your group hasn’t claimed its email address, NOW is a good time to do so.
This system has some terrific advantages:- Completely FREE to SIA and to the group
- The account used to moderate the online meeting is owned by the group, not an individual
- SIA is able to help in setting up the online meetings
- SIA is able to assist in moderating the online meetings
- SIA can help in recovering the SIA email account, if needed
- SIA can help create a new meeting connection ID, if needed
SIA and ZOOM Meetings
Many groups use ZOOM to hold their online meetings.
Please be advised that SIA can not help in setting up or hosting Zoom meetings, but we would be happy to list your meeting once it is set up.
To learn more on how you can have your group’s Zoom meeting listed follow this link.
Some Zoom meetings have recently been disrupted by trolls known as Zoom Bombers.
There are many features available to hosts that help reduce the likelihood of these attacks and help you handle intruders if they do come
NYIG Toolkit: Handling Unwanted Meeting Disruptions
Moving Your Group's Meetings Online
SIA has developed a solution for groups that would like to move their meetings online. This solution is FREE to groups and leverages their existing SIA email account (ending in suffolkny-aa.org) and Google Hangout Meets.
If your group hasn’t claimed its SIA email account, this is the perfect opportunity to do so. If your group has their account but has misplaced the password, we can help you reset it. See the Group Email Account page for details.
To make the request, find out if your group has access to its Group’s Email Account. Then send us an email at websup@suffolkny-aa.org with the following info:
- Group Name
- Town
- Online Meeting Schedule (This could be instead of or in addition to your regular in person meetings. Please be specific)
- By default the meetings will be listed in our meeting list and therefore public to the entire SIA community
- If instead, you’d prefer the meetings be private, indicate us in the request.
You can find more info on existing online meetings at top of this page
Here is a link to a set of instructions for moderators:
https://tinyurl.com/sia-online-meeting-moderator
Here is a link to a sample script (please tailor to your group’s needs):
List Your Group's Zoom Meeting
If you’ve already moved online via ZOOM and would like your group listed on this site, we can help.
If you haven’t done so already we recommend you read up on some ‘best practices’ for holding zoom meetings: Here are a couple guides courtesy of NY Intergroup :
NY Intergroup Zoom Protection Guide
NY Intergroup Anonymity on Zoom Guide
To have your meeting listed, we need the following:
- Group Name
- Meeting Schedule
- Connection Info
The Connection Info usually includes one or more of the following:
- URL : //zoom.us/j/691630673
OR
//zoom.us/j/691630673?pwd=c085c0o…93UT09 - Meeting ID : 691 630 673
- PWD : 850 366
- Phone : +1 (646) 558-8656
- One Tap Phone : +1 (646) 558-8656,,691 630 673#,,#850 366#
Different groups have opted for different levels of ‘security’ with regards to zoom meetings.
- some meetings have passwords
- almost all meetings with passwords are OK with having the password displayed in the meeting description
- a few meetings are OK with having the password embedded directly in the URL (the longer URL example above)
- a few meetings are OK with the meeting ID and password displayed, but do not want a URL direct to the meeting displayed
- a couple of meeting require you text or email to get the password
Finding Online Meetings with the Meeting Guide App
Meeting Guide is a free of charge meeting finder app for iOS and Android that provides meeting information from A.A. service entities in an easy-to-access format. Click here for full details.
The meeting guide is an essential tool for finding AA meetings near you. Easily find meetings near you or any location that is sharing information with the Meeting Guide App. Easily filter by day, time or meeting type.
The meeting guide now supports online meetings. You can filter to just on online meetings by going to settings and filtering by the ‘Online Meeting’ type.
Zoom and Hangout Meetings are shown with a video icon next to the meeting.
Phone only meetings are shown with a phone icon next to the meeting.
Click the ‘Join with Zoom’ or ‘Join with Google Hangouts’ button to join the meeting with just one click. With some meetings that do not what the password embedded in the link, you may have to enter the password seperately.
To join a meeting by dialing in, simply click the ‘Join by Phone’ button.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does online meeting thing work?
Simply! Just find a meeting from the calendar list above and click on the link for “more details”.
On the calendar page you will just need to choose your method of participation.
There are two options:
1. Via “Google Hangouts Meet” (online video conference)
2. Via “Phone”
There are two options:
1. Via “Google Hangouts Meet” (online video conference)
2. Via “Phone”
Do I need fancy phone or computer?
Nope! But if you do wish to partake in the video conference it requires the use of the “Google Hangouts Meet” option to both see others and to be seen (if you choose to be seen)
The “Phone” option is for people who just wish to listen and share (when called on)
What is an "Open Discussion" Meetings?
Open meetings are for those with a desire to stop drinking or others wishing to learn more about Alcoholics Anonymous.
Open meetings may be attended by students, professionals, and other non-members so we ask that all those who participate acknowledge the value of one another’s privacy
How can I protect my anonymity?
This will depend on how you join the meeting and which tools you choose.
On “Google Hangouts Meet”
Account Usage
If you are already signed in to an existing Google Account we recommend “Signing Out” if you wish to further protect your anonymity. You will then have a chance to enter a pseudonym like Dr. BoB when you enter the “Meeting”.
(Doing this will allow you keep your private account information private)
Camera / Microphone
You are not required to activate either of the tools.
You can just listen to the meeting or select either option to engage further in the meeting. This choice is up to you.
Note: No one can hear your share if your microphone is not turned on. But you could type into the “Chat” area if you wish to communicate something