For 65 years, Al-Anon Family Groups have been a resource for those affected by another person’s alcoholism.  Al-Anon is a mutual help group based on the structure and principles of Alcoholics Anonymous that focuses on the needs and issues of those who are in close relationships with an alcohol-dependent person. Since 1951 Al-Anon has offered support via meetings where members share their personal experiences and stories.  Members are encouraged to “take what they like and leave the rest”—that is, to determine for themselves what lesson they could apply to their own lives.

Al-Anon Family Groups meet in more than 130 countries, offering nearly 16,000 locally-based groups in North America alone. Al-Anon literature is available in more than 40 languages.

“With one out of every seven households in the United States having a heavy drinker, the struggles for their loved ones are abundant, and they are real,” said the Al-Anon Family Groups World Service Office Information Analyst, Pamela Walters. “In the World Service Office, we hope Al-Anon will be here for another 65 years, supporting the Al-Anon groups that meet to help people deal with the effects of someone else’s drinking and have happier lives,” said Walters.