Al-Anon Home Phone Volunteers

A Great 12th Step Opportunity

An important goal of Minneapolis Al-Anon/Alateen Information Services (Mpls AIS) and St. Paul Al-Anon/Alateen Intergroup (SPIG) is to have phones calls answered by Al-Anon members as many hours as possible. In an ideal world, this would be 24 hours every day. A more practical goal is 9 am until 10 pm every day. Unfortunately, we fall far short even of this. See below to see how many hours are not covered.

Here’s how it’s supposed to work: When the SPIG office is closed, calls to it are forwarded to the Mpls AIS office which is open longer hours. When the Mpls AIS Services office is closed (before 9 am Monday through Saturday, after 4 pm Monday through Friday, after 1 pm on Saturday and all day Sundays and holidays) calls are forwarded to a home phone volunteer when one has been scheduled for that time. When a home phone volunteer is not available, callers are connected to a voice mail system and calls are returned when the Mpls AIS office is next open.

Unfortunately, there are many hours when we don’t have have home phone volunteers, and callers reach only voice mail and not an actual Al-Anon member. Below is a calendar showing the shifts for which volunteers are needed. As you can see, there is a particular need for volunteers in the late afternoon starting at 4 pm. Most nights no one is scheduled after 10 pm or before 9 am. Let us know if you are willing to cover some of the overnight gaps.

Home phone volunteers provide information about Al-Anon and Alateen meetings. They answer questions about the program, where and when one can buy Al-Anon/Alateen literature, and may arrange for a call back by an active Al-Anon member. They do not give advice. Their own telephone number is not available to callers so their anonymity is protected.

If you might be willing to be a home phone volunteer, call (952-920-3961) or email (alanon@pobox.com) the Mpls AIS office. You must be an Al-Anon member with at least two years of regular attendance at Al-Anon meetings. You will be trained in what to do and will be provided with a complete up-to-date meeting directory. Although home phone volunteer scheduling is coordinated through Mpls AIS, volunteers are needed from both Minneapolis and St. Paul and their suburbs. The calendar below shows where you are needed.

This is a great opportunity for Twelfth Step work that is really needed.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

Another great opportunity for Twelfth Step work is as an office volunteer. See the Office Volunteer page for more information.


Times When Home Phone Volunteers Are Needed

July 2018
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
OK 1-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-6:00 pm
OK 6:00-10
XXX 4-6:00 pm
OK 6:00-10
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 1-10 pm
 
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
OK 1-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
OK 4-6:30 pm
XXX 6:30-10
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
OK 4-10 pm
 
XXX 1-10 pm
 
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
OK 1-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 1-10 pm
 
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
OK 1-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
OK 4-6:30 pm
XXX 6:30-10
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
OK 4-10 pm
 
XXX 1-10 pm
 
29 30 31        
OK 1-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
       
XXX = no volunteer scheduled, OK = volunteer scheduled
August 2018
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
      1 2 3 4
      XXX 4-6:00 pm
OK 6:00-10
XXX 4-6:00 pm
OK 6:00-10
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 1-10 pm
 
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
OK 1-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
OK 4-10 pm
 
XXX 1-10 pm
 
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
OK 1-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
OK 4-6:30 pm
XXX 6:30-10
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 1-10 pm
 
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
OK 1-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
OK 4-10 pm
 
XXX 1-10 pm
 
26 27 28 29 30 31  
OK 1-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
OK 4-6:30 pm
XXX 6:30-10
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
XXX 4-10 pm
 
 
XXX = no volunteer scheduled, OK = volunteer scheduled

Shifts start at 4:00 pm Monday through Friday and 1:00 pm Saturday and Sunday. Call 952-920-3961 or email alanon@pobox.com if you are able to volunteer any shifts marked XXX. Note that, although the 10 pm to 6 am shift is not marked with XXX, it is covered on only a few nights if any. Experience shows that, although few calls are received during these late night hours, the calls that come in are often from those who need help most.


Twin Cities Al-Anon/Alateen Home | Minneapolis AIS Home | St. Paul Al-Anon Intergroup Home


Updated 10:05 AM Friday July 20, 2018