Helping hands: Program helps those indirectly affected by alcohol abuse

Name of program: Al-Anon

What it does: Al-Anon is for those who have been affected by a loved one who is abusing alcohol.

Members attend meetings and talk about concerns, according to Scott, the office manager of the group’s literature center. Much like Alcoholics Anonymous, members of Al-Anon don’t use their last names.

At the meetings, none of the members gives advice.

“It’s a place where you can be listened to,” said Scott.

The program uses the same 12 steps as AA, and members also accept that they are powerless over alcohol and the many ways it affects their lives.

Who runs it: Al-Anon is run by its own members, and is an independent group.

How to get help: Anyone with a friend or a family member abusing alcohol can call 456-2125 to find a meeting.

Typical client: “In my experience,” Scott said, “women go. It’s not unusual to be the only man in a meeting.” But the program is not limited to women. “The program is for people who can’t deal with the addiction of a loved one,” he said.

He added that members must learn to cope and control their own lives, not the lives of those with an addiction.

How to give help: Current members of the program can volunteer, and donations are taken by passing the hat at meetings, but like other 12-step programs, Al-Anon doesn’t accept outside help.