COVID-19, Update #6: Online Meetings
– Best Practices & More

Below, please find information on:

  • 200+ Remote Meetings in SF and Marin
  • Search capability on aasfmarin.org
  • Search and sort by day/time/county on the way
  • Updated content for How To Zoom and Anonymity
  • Meeting Material (Suggested Meeting Format, Steps, Traditions, etc.)
  • Digital Contributions
  • Service Opportunities in Next Update
  • Literature needs?


In the last 172, I mean 5, days we’ve seen what it means for our community to go to any lengths to stay connected. In testament to that consider this: At noon on Monday we had listed 100 meetings in San Francisco and Marin as “Temporarily Closed.” Later that day the Shelter in Place order was issued for both San Francisco and Marin Counties. And now, again a mere 172, I mean 5, days later you all have established 193 Remote Meetings (and have 10 in the cue not  yet published). Additionally, the phones rang off the hook at Central Office with newcomers and sober members alike all looking for – or offering to share – experience, strength and hope.

We soon realized (thanks to all your calls and emails) that as the list of meetings grew, it became much harder to search them by time. As a stop gap, we added a search box on the remote meeting page:

Conveniently it also allows you to search the entire site! 

The last 76, I mean 2, days have been spent working on the sorting function and we are very close! Meeting Guide app users – we encourage you to use aasfmarin.org as your one stop shop for meetings and information at this time as the remote meeting schedule does not feed into it. We have updated the existing information and added additional pages on aasfmarin.org such as a Suggested Meeting Format, Steps, Traditions, etc, and useful information on Personal Anonymity and Digital Contributions. You can also download this Quick Guide to Zoom, (PDF, sorry mobile users) that will come in handy.

We also made another hard decision and as of 6PM today, Central Office will be completely closed with exception to Special Workers. The San Francisco and Marin Teleservice Committees will take over the phones lines 24/7. We are working on robust remote training material and both committees will hold orientations next week. Details in the next update.

Your Special Workers will continue working from both home and the office. If you all find that you need literature, we will consider opening the online store back up and shipping it to you or having set pick up hours at the office. Please email us at [email protected] so we can assess the need. More will be revealed.

The next update will focus on service opportunities as there are many. So stay tuned and please, for the love of coffee and chocolate, share this information with your social media communities and encourage our members to subscribe to The Buzz.

All decisions will be re-evaluated as the situation changes; we are doing our best and appreciate your support and understanding. Your AA Central Office