Meetings, Groups, and Home Groups: Understanding How ABA Works

After someone has attended a few ABA meetings, the deeper questions tend to surface. How is a meeting different from a group? What does it really mean to choose a Home Group? Why does service matter so much?

This pamphlet pulls back the curtain on how ABA functions behind the scenes. It explains how a meeting begins when two or more members gather for recovery, and how over time a stable meeting can grow into a registered Group. From there, a structure develops that helps protect the primary purpose: carrying the message to those who still suffer.

You’ll find a clear explanation of service roles such as Secretary, Treasurer, Chairperson, Greeter, Literature Coordinator, Milestone Coordinator, and General Service Representative. They are practical ways members contribute to the health and continuity of the Fellowship.

The pamphlet also explores the meaning of a Home Group. Choosing one involves more than showing up. It means committing to regular attendance, participating in business meetings, celebrating milestones together, and practicing responsibility within a shared community. It’s often where recovery deepens, because belonging begins to replace isolation.

For newcomers, this resource offers clarity. For long-time members, it’s a reminder that structure and service are not bureaucracy, they are the framework that allows unity, autonomy, and recovery to endure.

Download the pamphlet here: Meetings, Groups, Home Groups (PDF)

ABA respectfully requests that members printing these pamphlets for distribution have them printed on high quality light green paper to follow what the organization had traditionally provided.