What Is a Home Group?

Back to Getting Started with AA

Group participation

A home group continues after the meeting ends

It is the A.A. group a member identifies with most closely: a place to attend regularly, build relationships, participate in group decisions, and accept responsibilities that help A.A. remain available.

“The concept of the home group has still remained the strongest bond.”The A.A. Group…Where It All Begins, p. 15

Meeting and group

A meeting is scheduled; a group continues

This comparison is explanatory. The complete official source appears below.

A meeting

Has a scheduled time and format

Members gather for recovery-focused sharing, reading, or study.

An A.A. group

Exists beyond the scheduled hour

It sustains meetings, responds to needs, makes decisions, and connects with A.A. service entities.

The continuing group

What home-group members help sustain

These are group responsibilities, not navigation links.

1

Meeting place

Prepare, welcome, maintain, and clean up.

2

Program

Arrange recovery meetings and keep literature available.

3

Self-support

Contribute toward rent, supplies, and A.A. services.

4

Newcomer help

Remain available and answer calls for help.

5

Group decisions

Air problems and seek informed group conscience.

6

Wider connection

Maintain contact with intergroup, district, area, and the General Service Office.

Related sections and tools

Use the established site buttons

Each complete card—including its original animated button and description—opens the named destination.

AA Membership and SponsorshipContinue to membership, sponsorship, service, and participation guidance. AA Groups and AdministrationContinue to local group, service, and administration information. AA Meeting FinderSearch current meetings by day, time, region, access, and type.

Parts of group life

Continue with the exact topic you need

These pages have no assigned circular artwork, so each destination is one complete descriptive guide card.

Group decisions What Is a Group Conscience?How the group seeks an informed collective decision. Group affairs What Is an AA Business Meeting?Where practical group affairs are handled. Assigned work What Is a Service Position?A defined responsibility carried for the group. Leadership What Is a Trusted Servant?Responsible leadership without governing members. Meeting role What Is a Meeting Chairperson?A specific responsibility for guiding the meeting format. Program context How AA WorksHow meetings, groups, recovery, and service relate.

Primary references

Official A.A. home-group sources

Each official destination is one complete source card. The publication opens directly as the official PDF.

Official A.A. FAQ Is there a difference between a meeting and a group? The official FAQ explains the distinction between an A.A. meeting and an A.A. group. Read the official answer ↗ The A.A. Group publication artwork Official A.A. PDF The A.A. Group…Where It All Begins Conference-approved guidance about home groups, group membership, service jobs, business meetings, and group conscience. Open the PDF ↗

Source record: The official group overview, meeting-versus-group FAQ, and Conference-approved group publication were reviewed August 13, 2026.