Recoveries Anonymous

09/01/2026

An R.A. member shares:

"I spend a great deal of time passing on what I learned to others who want and need it badly." RA's Multilith , page 6, Personal Stories, The Doctor's Nightmare

Forty-three years ago, my bottom hit me, I didn't hit it. Drowning in the mire of self-destructive behavior and knowing I had no sense of sanity, I could see my life fading away into meaningless nothingness. In a last ditch effort, I dragged myself to a meeting of an anonymous group I was familiar with, and I sat in the last chair in the last row.

This gem was the best thing that happened to me. I found it on a chair with a legal pad and pen. I copied it, enthusiastically. The words, "recovered, relieved, sanity" jumped out at me. It sounded so awesome after so many years of hearing it could never happen. Then the next thing was the speaker who said he recovered. He said if I hadn't done all Twelve Steps, and if I hadn't recovered, recovery was there for me when I did the whole 12. He put that paper in the four corners of the room. I picked it up, found those words and the instructions for how to recover in the Big Book, followed them, and recovered.

08/30/2026

An R.A. Member shares:

“Your Heavenly Father will never let you down!”
(Multilith , PS6)

Next stop: Chinatown

A friend and I were playing tourist in San Francisco. We’d been on our feet for about a half hour, and were determined to make Chinatown our next stop. My friend wanted to walk, but agreed to my suggestion that we take public transportation. Another 7 or 8 minutes got us to the bus stop, where we waited for another 5 minutes. Suddenly a tram appeared, and I assumed it was the tram google maps had called CA 1, so we got onboard. My friend said “This isn’t the bus or light rail. This is the trolley and it costs $9.00. And it doesn’t go to Chinatown. The next stop is way out of where we want to go, probably Sutter”. “Sorry,” I told her, “So let’s get off.” She hesitated, and said, “Too late,” although we sat another couple of minutes. I apologized again, feeling regret that what I thought was my mistake had disappointed her and would probably cost us money. The driver rang the bell, the trolley lurched forward, and the conductor announced, “Next stop: Chinatown!”

Chinatown - exactly where we wanted to go! A free ride on the San Francisco trolley, and another demonstration of God’s power, God’s love, and God’s way of life. I thanked Him for working things out better than anything I could have planned. As Dr. Bob wrote at the end of his story, “Your Heavenly Father will never let you down!”

08/28/2026

08/26/2026

We are on LinkedIn now. Follow us!
https://www.linkedin.com/company/recoveries-anonymous/

08/24/2026

How is R.A. supported?

There are no dues or fees for membership in R.A. We adhere to the Twelve Traditions and are self-supporting through contributions. The IRS recognizes R.A. as a tax-exempt organization. Therefore, all contributions made to R.A. are deductible to the full extent of the law.

08/22/2026

What is R.A. Universal Services?

R.A. Universal Services provides the many services that are vital to the day-to-day operation of Recoveries Anonymous.
R.A. Universal Services is the equivalent of: A.A. World Services, O.A.'s World Service Office, N.A.'s World Service Office, The National Service Office of G.A., and E.A.'s International Services, etc.
Some of these services include responding to requests for information about R.A.'s fellowship from all over the world. Helping groups and members with program related problems and dealing with the general public.
In addition, RAUS is responsible for maintaining R.A.'s website, distributing R.A.'s suggested literature, and overseeing the creation and publication of new materials, which are designed to help us more effectively carry R.A.'s message of hope, sanity, and recovery to those who still suffer.

08/22/2026

We’re Building Our Inaugural Board: Help Us Honor Our Past & Shape Our Future

Recoveries Anonymous is seeking passionate, forward-thinking leaders to join our first-ever Board of Directors during a pivotal chapter in our journey. Historically a founder-driven organization, we are transitioning into an intentional governing model following the loss of our founder. We are committed to honoring his legacy while doing the foundational, hands-on work required to build a sustainable, resilient future for the community we serve.

Because this is our founding board, the early stages will be both challenging and immensely rewarding as we establish governance structures from the ground up.

We are looking for board members who bring:

Foundational Governance & Strategy: A willingness to roll up your sleeves to create initial board policies, establish financial oversight, and set high-level strategy for an organization shifting away from founder management.

Legacy-Minded Innovation: The balance to respect our deep roots while thoughtfully adapting our organizational model to navigate change and meet future challenges.

Executive Partnership & Leadership: A desire to act as an active champion, mentor, and thought partner to our new executive director as we navigate this transition together.

Non-profit leadership, governance setup, and change management experience are especially valuable.

If you are a collaborative leader who thrives in building systems from the ground up and wants to make a lasting impact, we would love to connect.

📩 Learn More about us: www.R-A.org

📩 Write to us: [email protected]

08/20/2026

Is R.A. a religious society?

No. R.A.'s program is spiritual, not religious. Recoveries Anonymous has no connection to any religion, religious sect, or organization. However, many religious leaders have approved and endorsed the Twelve Steps. R.A.'s membership includes atheists, agnostics, Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, and members of other religious organizations. All are welcome.

08/18/2026

Do I have to believe in God to join R.A.?

No! You do not need to believe in God. However, you might need to "act as if" you do believe to fully follow the pioneers' "clear-cut directions." It is the actions you take, not your belief in God that will produce results.
It is your own results, your own experiences that may in time, convince you that a loving, personal God exists. However, all R.A. asks of you is an open mind, honesty, and the willingness to investigate. We simply suggest that you fully enter the experiment, and take the actions that working the program calls for. If you don't get the results you are looking for, you are free to move on to something else. If you do find the recovery you have been searching for, you can consider the experiment a success.
In the Big Book, on page 568, there is a quote from Herbert Spencer. In it, he reminds us that, "There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investigation."