Hello everyone,
We hope you are keeping well. We have a lot to cover in this update.
Annual Report
We have posted the 2018-2019 Annual Report www.na.org/ar. We do not have immediate plans to produce the Annual Report in Brief, but we hope you take the time to read the AR, which captures some of what has taken place last year at NA World Services. There are some great charts and graphs included.
WSC Observers
Conference participants have prioritized some of the work of the World Service Conference to accomplish online because we are unable to meet in person. Sessions are scheduled for 11 am-1 pm and 2 pm-4 pm, Pacific Daylight Time, on 24-26 April, 29 April, and 2-3 May.
Interested members will be able to observe the partial, virtual WSC via a YouTube live feed of the Zoom meeting. The link to that meeting will change for each session, and will be posted at the top of the WSC 2020 Virtual Materials page https://www.na.org/?ID=wsc2020virt shortly before each session is scheduled to begin. If you lose the link, just remember the Conference page www.na.org/conference and then look for the link WSC 2020 Virtual Materials. The YouTube link will be posted at the top of that page before each session. If you do plan to observe, we ask that you not make recordings, take screen shots, or post pictures on social media. Please respect the anonymity of trusted servants. Thank you.
NAs Response to the Pandemic
Thank you to everyone who has worked to keep our message accessible in the face of a world where we are unable to meet in person most places. Addicts are resourceful and adaptable, and NAs response to the global pandemic has been so quick and effective, that it has functioned as a powerful public relations message. If you type Narcotics Anonymous into a news search engine these days, you will see dozens of positive stories about NA meetings migrating online. We are receiving interest and praise from professionals and others.
If you have personal experience you are willing to share or successes as an online meeting, please share them with us at pr@na.org. We are particularly interested in how you have reached out to newcomers, treatment centers, and correction institutions; as well as experience you have helping treatment centers connect to online meetings and cooperating with Phonelines.
We would also like to hear if you have experience coordinating online Seventh Tradition collection; please let us know whats working for you.
Meeting Updates
One thing most of you have noticed is how often the access information for meetings has changed within the last few weeks. Given the vast amount of changes and our reduced staffing levels, we have been unable to keep up in processing all of the meeting changes we are receiving. We urge everyone to keep local websites and service bodies informed of changes, where possible. We believe thats the best option to keep meeting information current in these rapidly changing times.
Virtual Meetings Page
On a related note, we have created a page of resources to help in your efforts to find and serve at NA meetings in the time of Coronavirus. Check it out: www.na.org/virtual We are posting new material regularly. Thank you to all who sent us resources. Keep them coming!
Also, you may want to announce at your meetings that members can find booklets and IPs in 53 languages at www.na.org/ips. We have published more than 50 translated recovery pieces in 16 languages since within the last month alone!
Contribute
If you want to help that work happen, we encourage you to contribute financially to NA World Services. As we reported in a previous update, World Services is experiencing financial hard times. For too long we have pinned our financial solvency to literature sales, a financial model that is not sustainable given NAs disproportionate growth in places where we have subsidized or given away literature. Since the closure of most in-person meetings, our financial situation has worsened. We are doing what we can to continue shipping orders and providing services, but we need your help. We have created an easy contribution link www.na.org/contribute and we hope you will help spread the word.
Spiritual Principle a Day (SPAD) Book Project
And before we close, a reminder that even if you are stuck at home, you can still make a valuable contribution to NA literature. SPAD still wants to hear about how you apply principles in your daily life. Respond to quotations from NA literature and capture your experience in writing at www.na.org/SPAD.
Thank you for all you do for NA.
Yours in service,
World Board
