A questions for those who know about monies in NA groups

[Lily]

Hello, it is just me again.......

Well, here is another of my questions:

I will offer some background first. Our city is really trying to re-establish the NA fellowship after having it ALMOST die off. As I mentioned on this board before it was in early Feb. when I attended a meeting and the leader (there were only 4 of us) busted out some vicodin.

Anyway, since then a gal stepped up and took over that meeting and also the other 2 meeting in the city and she held all the keys etc. Last week she gave me both sets of keys to the churches in the area cuz she is going to be gone much of this summer a hundred or so miles away staying at her boyfriends.

So....my sponsor and I are trying to figure things out. I guess she, I will call her the previous gal who gave me the keys was pooling all of the monies before for all 3 of the meetings. We have decided to keep them all 3 separate and when the one at the treatment center needs money, we can donate?

My sponsor said she would like to perhaps get a non-profit bank account to hold the money in?

I don't know, my question is about money going to the treatment center meeting for books, literature, key tags, etc....How do you folks do it? Pool money for 3 meetings, or what? Contribute as needed?

Also, just as a heads up in case you do not know this, all of NA's literature and Key tags are going up as of July 1st! So if any of you needs to place orders, DO IT NOW! I am going to place my order here in a minute for our 3 meetings. You can if you go to NA.org

Key tags are going from 35 to 45 cents.

IP's are going up some amongst other things.

The new NA book is coming out on Oct. 1st, so don't order tooo many of the old. :-)

Thanks for your input all you guys w/ time under your belt! Always greatly appreciated.

Blessings, Sheila

[Greit]

New to the board, there is clearly something about this that I am missing. Do your meetings not belong to an area....that belongs to a region? You will go alot of support that way. Let me know about that and then I can share my experience.

[Gmoney]

I'm a little confused....you said a couple of different things that sent up red flags for me.

...a gal stepped up and took over that meeting and also the other 2 meeting in the city and she held all the keys etc.

I guess, in a small area, one or two people can easily dominate or control groups or meetings. I don't think it's right and the ideal state is for no member to be superior or inferior to another. According to our concepts and traditions, leadership should be rotated and done so through example and not influence. But, like I said...in a small area that's struggling to get a foothold, I can see how it can happen.

...pooling all of the monies before for all 3 of the meetings.

What I believe you have are 3 meetings of the same group? Is that correct? If so...there's no need to keep the monies separate. But, if each meeting is held by a separate group, the money collected should be kept separate: if for no other reason than record keeping.

Our 7th Tradition tells us that each group should be self-supporting, declining all outside contributions. And our 4th Tradition tells us that each group is self-governing. Interpretations may vary on what is or isn't an "outside contribution" but I don't see a violation of traditions when one group assists another financially. The problems that can arise through this sort of assistance can be the expectations of entitlement or indebtedness.

A non-profit account sounds like a good idea.

What I also suggest is that you contact NAWS to find out whether there is a Regional Services Committee available to you. They can also assist you in setting up an ASC if you don't have one.

[Lily]

They are 3 separate meeting, all on different nights, different locations and all with different names, however they always have the same core 3-5 ppl and then the newcomers.

Yes, you did hear this correctly when I said she took over the meetings. I witnessed this happening, and had only 30 days or so clean, so I didn't know what was going on.

[Sugah]

Maybe the wise thing to do would be to consolidate those three meetings into one group?

Peace & Love,
Sugah

[Gmoney]

Originally Posted by Sugah

Maybe the wise thing to do would be to consolidate those three meetings into one group?

Peace & Love,
Sugah

Excellent idea...especially since the group's members are the same. It would end some confusion.

[2ala2]

Hi Sheila,
I agree with all said. I second Greit's question? What about your Area and that Area's Region? When a group or a room is having trouble in my Area, we mention it in other local meetings. It is brought up at the ASC meeting held at the begining of every month and dealt with.
As for the treasury issue, all the monies must be accounted for at the begining of every one of those meetings until someone is treasurer. I know that it is very difficult when there just is no one with experience.
Seek your area. Good luck!

[Lily]

Thanks for all of your inputs. I have no idea about the area Region stuff you are talking about. We have 3 meeting here in this town, and we are all 3 clueless. However, there is one on Sun. night I will ask that has more experience in the next town and they probably know about area service stuff. I think I heard someone say a while back there was a GSR on the last sunday of the month. Is GSR the same thing?

tonight i took a group conscience though about the meeting! i used todays JFT (it was about group conscience) and while I hold the key, we are going to rotate the chair. I brought tonights monies home and we will re-count them at the start of next week.

Today was a lot calmer and I think it is gonna get better at NA. As long as i focus on my program and not on how others are working theirs!

Thanks, Sheila

[Gmoney]

In order to understand how finances are handled in NA, it was suggested that I read the IP called "The Group" and read the 4th, 5th, & 7th Traditions. I found, just like the groups are the backbone of NA and have the final say in NA matters (supposedly), they are the foundation of our financial & service structure.

The groups collect donations and tend to their needs with the money that is donated. Once the groups needs are met, the remaining funds are forwarded to the ASC (Area Service Committee) or "Area" as it is called. The ASC hold a meeting once a month to handle the business of NA. The ASC is made up of all the groups within a certain geographic boundary. For example - in some places where NA is firmly established, the Area may consist of all the groups in a city. In my city, we have over 65 groups in our area and the surrounding smaller towns. Some towns or villages that have NA groups may join the Area closest to them.

Area (ASC) meetings are not like regular NA meetings. They're like group conscience, but those who attend are representatives of each group in that area. These representatives are called GSR's (Group Service Representative) and it is their job to act as a "go-between" or voice for their respective groups. They take the concerns, suggestions and ideas of their groups to the ASC and Area policies and guidelines are developed to assist groups in fulfilling their primary purpose.

Each group brings their donations to the ASC and the ASC uses these funds to cover their expenses. Once the Area's needs are met, the remaining money is forwarded to the Region. The RSC (Regional Service Committee) is just like the ASC except those who attend are called RCM's (Region Committee Member). The RCM serves in the same capacity as a GSR does for a group. A Region can consist of many Area's within a state (hundreds of cities, villages and towns can be represented). An RCM takes the concerns, suggestions and ideas of their Area's to the Region and regional policies and guidelines are developed to assist groups in fulfilling their primary purpose. After the needs of the region are met, the final monies are forwarded to the World (NAWS).

I think I heard someone say a while back there was a GSR on the last sunday of the month. Is GSR the same thing?

I hope I answered your question.

[happyboy]

I kind of identify with Sheila. Our ASC has collapsed. The closest functioning area is 800 kilometers away. However, we get email advice, and make use of some guidance and literature from our main office in the country. What I like about na is that as we grow, there is a clear path in terms of structure. Its not perfect, but its great to be a part of something with traditions as strong as ours, and that is about carrying the message. Its so simple, but can deal with complexity of growth.

I wonder if that made sense?

[WanChai73]

Thanks Garry for that description. I live in a rural area; the closest meetings are 25 miles away, which I commute to 3x week. I am a GSR at one of these meetings. I just wanted to add that, in our community, the GSR is also the Treasurer and Literature person. The Secretary is also the coffee person and greeter. We have to do it like this because of our small fellowship. The important thing here is that there are always 2 people per meeting looking over the collection. We don't have a bank account at the group level; it is at the Area level. Each month we tally the collections; pay rent, buy coffee supplies and literature. What is left over is given to Area. By turning over the collections each month, the group never has too much cash on hand which is the right way to go. (Our group collects $5-25 per meeting in donations. Rent is our #1 expense.)

Just wanted to share how it works in a small fellowship.

[Gmoney]

Thanks WanChai,

I live in a fairly decent sized city and my group rarely collects over $6 per meeting. I must add that my group is one of the smallest in my area, and I like it like that. The major drawback to smaller groups, IMO, is that the few who are active in serving have to wear so many hats. On any given Sunday I will be greeter, coffee maker, GSR and treasurer. Although my "official" service position is the treasurer, I fill in where ever I'm needed. My group doesn't have a bank account either...it really isn't required because we rarely collect more that our expenses and our prudent reserve is never more than one month's rent.

The only time my group collects a larger than normal amount of donations is when we have a member celebrating an anniversary. Anniversaries tend to be a big draw in my area and more people show up than usual. Since we're so small and hardly receive much in donations, our members pitch in a little extra when needed. But we always forward any overages to our Area.

[kmsj75]

This is really making me appreciate where I live. Where I live, we have meetings all around the city, and you can find a meeting at almost any hour. I really admire those who travel miles and miles to go to a meeting. I live down the street from my home group. i say (not that it matters) great job and keep trying! You guys can get it together!

[Greit]

for those of you struggling with this issue, go to www (dot) na (dot) org, click on the drop down menu that says "other items of interest" next to a search button, arrow down to
"a guide to local service in Narcotics Anonymous" and read it... alot. It will tell you everything you need to do.

Good Luck

[Gmoney]

http://www.na.org/pdf/GLS_2005.pdf

There's the link!

[Greit]

Thanks Garry, I'm not allowed to post links yet!