How I Started a Meeting

The first thing I did when I wanted to start a new meeting was to talk to some of the regulars, the core group, if you will, who regularly attended other meetings at which I attended.  I asked questions such as: What day would be good for you?  What time?  Would you like a morning meeting?, How far would you be willing to travel?, etc.  After polling members I went in search of a venue.  I looked at likely places where I knew there were other 12 step meetings (AA, NA, etc.) - mostly churches.  I also used Google and did a search for churches within a certain mileage radius.  From experience of another meeting that had "phased out" in my District, I knew location was very important.  I looked for a place that was near a major road and would be easy to get to.  I then started making phone calls.  I called different churches and asked them about starting a meeting on the day and at the time at where I had the best feedback from other members.  If the church did not have that day / time available I found out when they did have availability.  Some venues either did not have availability or were unwilling to have a meeting.  I also asked what they would expect in rent.  Having narrowed it down, I brought the information back to those same people that I originally asked.  With a small group of 4 or 5 people we agreed to start a meeting on Saturday mornings at 9:30.  In the beginning the meeting was attended by the original 4 or 5.  After a few weeks and some enthusiasm wore off there were occasions where it was just me.  I recall of few snowy February mornings where I sat there alone for 30 minutes or so to see if anyone would show up.  I admit to being discouraged, but with the support of my sponsor and other fellows, I hung in there.  The Saturday morning meeting is now one of our better attended meetings with an average of 12 - 15 members on a regular basis.  We have even had close to 30 on occasion!  I would be interested in hearing other stories about how other meetings started and succeeded or even those that started and failed.  I think we could learn from both sides of the coin.  If you started or help start a meeting, let's hear about it!

Great information Loren, thanks for posting it and starting this topic

One of the keys to establishing a new group is spreading the word. Using the our New Meeting Announcements forum is one idea. I heard someone share about success using Craigslist. One new meeting in my area gets many referrals from a local medical center.

Loren, what did you do to let others know where they could go on Saturday mornings?

 - Keith G

Keith,

Aside from announcing the meeting at other meetings we placed the meeting on our website and on the MAWS website.  I think most of the newcomers find us through the website.

Loren

Anyone else interested in posting how their meetings got started?  Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller?  Bueller?

Hi, I am starting a new meeting and appreciate the input on how you did it.  I put a bulletin in our local paper that will come out every week.  I didn't know what paperwork other meetings use to inform people about meeting times so I have made copies of a pamplet from the MA site called 'Introduction to MA, a meeting format in a pamphlet' and have written our meeting times on it and plan to circulate it through people that go to other 12 step meetings.  I'm also going to find out if I can give the pamphlet to local counselors and professionals that could pass that info. on to their clients. 

I like the idea of using Craigslist and will most likely use that as an avenue as well.  The meeting is very new and I'm pretty much the only one so far.  I have had a couple people stay and visit after an AA meeting that uses the same room right before the MA meeting and that was great.  I'm sure that once people find out about the meeting, it's bound to grow.  Until then, I will continue to be there and keep the faith. 

sun

Awesome!  Great service, sun.  The first meeting I helped start was several years ago on Saturday mornings.  It was well attended the first couple of weeks mainly because of members who went to other meetings coming to support the new one.  Then there were quite a few weekends where it was just me waiting to see if anyone would show up.  Being discouraged, I talked to my sponsor who guided me in having patience and seeing how things would unfold.  Eventually, people started showing up on a regular basis and the meeting is now well attended into its fifth year.  I can't imagine my Saturday mornings without it now!

sun, I just looked for your meetings at http://marijuana-anonymous.org/meetdt4.shtml and at http://marijuana-anonymous.org/meetwa.shtml but didn't see them listed.

Are you part of District 4 or an independent meeting (known to some as District 99)? If you are part of District 4, ask your Public Information chair to get the meeting listed on the MAWS site (I don't find a website specifically for District 4). If you are independent, contact the MAWS office manager, Tom W (tomwhite56 in this forum), at office@marijuana-anonymous.org with the information for publication. If you are independent, our Global Outreach Trustee may be able to offer some support: send me your email address in a Private Message and I can try to put you in touch.

Thank you for your service!

Loren knows what he's talking about - he has started two meetings (that I know of) and I personally know of a bunch of people who got sober because they were there, including myself.

plus a district.

Loren pretty much by himself got D15 off the ground

Loren is the man

It's true! Loren IS the man!

I started a meeting too with another fellow.  Although we didn’t have a core group, we had the determination to start one because there wasn’t any meeting by us.   It took a lot of commitment, research, dedication and public relations to get the word out.  Similar to what Loren said, find possible locations their availability and rent… then making the commitment to show up, even if nobody else does.  I found it helpful to send letters/flyers to local rehab centers or hospitals to also let the public know about it.  My first sponsor told me that all you really need for a meeting is another person and a higher power.  That’s how it works.  One addict helping another…..helping another addict… who helps another… and another… and sometimes even helps them back again.  Then, someone else starts a meeting… and meetings become a district…  and websites get created and forums and then world conferences get hosted there! It’s a miracle.

All I did was get a meeting packet from the MA website, ordered a copy of Life with Hope, found a space, posted it on the website, let treatment centers and drug counselors in the area know, put up a few flyers, made announcements at some of my AA meetings, then showed up and made coffee. We will have our second anniversary in January. MA Columbus is small but mighty powerful.
Eileen C.

Thanks for these posts, I am eager to start a group in Asheville, NC, so this is all very helpful & encouraging.
Brian C.

welcome to the forum