BRIDGING THE GAP

What is Bridging the Gap?

Bridging the Gap is a Temporary Contact Program which is designed to help the alcoholic being released from a treatment program or incarceration to make a successful transition into the A.A community.

Bridging the Gap is a program of alcoholics that helps the alcoholic being released from a treatment program, incarceration, or is interested in attending a meeting for the first time. We can provide a temporary contact to assist you.

What Bridging the Gap Does

  • Helps people with a desire to stop drinking, and find a solution to their problem
  • Helps the new member to connect to A.A. outside of institutions

    • What Bridging the Gap Does Not Do

  • Charge dues or fees
  • Operate clinics or drying out facilities
  • Provide housing, meals or transportation
  • Keep membership records
  • Practice medicine, psychiatry or nursing
  • Offer religious services
  • Offer professional counseling

    • Transitioning into A.A. from Treatment or Incarceration

    Getting back to the “real world” isn’t always easy for an alcoholic. We admitted that our first days out were often challenging , and we didn’t know if we would stay sober. One of the more “slippery” places in the journey to sobriety is between the door of the facility and the nearest A.A. group or meeting .

    Bridging the Gap is a temporary A.A. contact program to help you make the transition from treatment or incarceration into the A.A. community. Once you are discharged or released, an A.A. volunteer will contact you by phone and make arrangements to meet you at your first one to three meetings, explain the A.A. program and the importance of finding a sponsor and help get you connected into the program of Alcoholics Anonymous.

    There are two ways to contact us and we will make every effort to reach you on the day of your release.

    Email us at and please include:

    Name
    Phone number
    Date of release
    City where you will be living

    You may also download, print, and mail the form below to:

    Bridging the Gap
    P.O. Box 692003
    Stockton, CA 95269-2003

    Download Request Form

    Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of A.A. – All personal information is protected and destroyed after use.


    BECOMING A BRIDGING THE GAP VOLUNTEER

    The purpose of Bridging the Gap is to assist the new member being released from a treatment center or correctional facility in making a successful transition to Alcoholics Anonymous in the community where they will be living.

    Do you have at least 1 year of sobriety? If so, do you have a desire to be of service in Alcoholics Anonymous? Are you interested in doing 12th step work? Then being a “temporary contact” in Bridging the Gap may be just what you are looking for.

    Once you are on the Volunteer roster for BTG, if we have a contact request from someone who is the same gender, in the same age range and living in the city where you go to meetings, you would be contacted by our BTG committee member to ask if you are available. If you are and are willing, we provide the contact information and you would make arrangements to meet the new A.A. member at a meeting. You can also work in tandem with another volunteer team member.

    The idea is to introduce the newcomer to other A.A. members, ensure that they get phone numbers of several A.A. members for support and share our experience of sponsorship as well as the value of a home group.

    To become a volunteer, download and fill out the form below.

    Download Volunteer Application

    To learn more about becoming a contact volunteer, see the pamphlet below.