Information on Virtual Meetings and Status of Other Meetings

In response to the threat of COVID-19, almost all Al‑Anon and Alateen groups were suspended or began to meet virtually, most commonly using Zoom. By now, most groups have restarted in person, although many continue to meet virtually or in a “hybrid” format. This page will try to provide up-to-date on the status of all groups, whether in-person, virtual or hybrid. For most virtual or hybrid groups, it provides login information. You can find details for in-person groups on the regular meeting schedule pages.

Although this website focusses on groups in the Twin Cities Metro area, it previously included information on some virtual groups in the wider Minnesota South Area because such information was lacking on the Area website. Since the Area website now has information on virtual meetings, non-metro groups are no longer on this page. For details on in-person and virtual meetings outside the metro area, see the Minnesota South Area website or the national Al‑Anon website.

If you know of meetings or events in the Twin Cities metropolitan area that are postponed, cancelled, suspended, restarted or become virtual, please notify AIS (Minneapolis Al-Anon/Alateen Information Service) by calling 952-920-3961 or emailing info@aismpls.org.

If your group meets virtually and would like to attract newcomers but don’t want full connection information posted online, provide AIS with the information, and the schedule will say "Call AIS (952-920-3961) for connection information." A better way is to get a non-personal email specific to your group (e.g., satvirtualafg@gmail.com) so that the instructions can read "Email satvirtualafg@gmail.com for connection information."

If your group changes its status, e.g., virtual to in-person or vice versa, please notify AIS.

There are currently no official restrictions on in-person recovery meetings such as Al‑Anon. None the less, a few in-person groups are requiring or stongly recommending that masks be worn.

Below is a list of suspended and in-person meetings followed by a schedule of virtual neetings we know about.

Anonymity and Privacy Issues With Virtual Meetings (Important!)

You should be aware that there are real issues of loss of anonymity and privacy with some of the services enabling virtual meetings. Before you set one up, you should carefully read the terms of use and privacy policy. Some of the most popular virtual meeting solutions state in their privacy policies that they cross reference multiple databases to identify you personally, anyone else in your online meeting, and even any contacts on your device they are able to access.

In spite of privacy and anonymity issues, many Al‑Anon and Alateen groups are conducting virtual meetings. One of the most popular providers is Zoom. We have prepared a Zoom information page which, among other things, suggests specific settings that should be changed to minimize risk to anonymity.

Whatever virtual meeting service is used – Zoom, Skype or some other – it is essential that, every time you log on, you check to see you are using the most recent version of the app or client program required. If not, you should download it only from the official website for the service. For an app on your phone or tablet, download from the Apple App Store (iPhone, iPad) or using Google Play on Android. For Zoom on a PC, Macintosh or Linux, go to zoom.us/download.

Because of well founded privacy concerns with some browsers, you should never partipate in a virtual meeting through a browser. Instead you should use an app or client program installed on your device. Using a special browser “extension” does not mitigate the problem.

Similarly you should never log in to Zoom meetings using Facebook, Google, Twitter or other third party accounts. Doing so breaches your anonymity and perhaps that of others in your meeting

You can lose anonymity in a way that is easy to overlook – by the “hovering” by others in your household, whether done accidentally or purposefully. If anyone can see what is on your screen or hear what is being said, the anonymity and privacy of others in the meeting are in danger. Make every effort to shield your screen and sound from others’ eyes and ears.

Another often overlooked threat to anonymity is the smart speaker such as Amazon Echo with Alexa, Google Home with Google Assistant, or Apple HomePod with Siri. They are constantly listening for key words and may record audible voices in the room. All smart speakers should either be put in another room or turned off entirely when a virtual Al‑Anon or Alateen meeting is in progress.

District Zoom accounts

Several Al-Anon districts have established Zoom accounts that can be used by Al‑Anon or Alateen groups in a district. These have all been set up carefully so as to minimize threats to anonymity and privacy. If your group would like to use such an account, contact the districts as shown in the following table,

Alano societies and other places multiple groups meet

Here is what we know about Alano Societies and other places multiple Al‑Anon or Alateen groups meet.

Fridley Alano, 6279 University Ave NE, Fridley has re-opened. Most of the Al‑Anon and Alateen groups meeting there have restarted in person or are meeting virtually.

Hutchinson Alano Club, 1170 Highway 7 W, Hutchinson has re-opened. Some groups meeting there have restarted in person or are meeting virtually.

New Hope Alano, 7550 Bass Lake Rd in New Hope, has re-openend but some Al‑Anon grroups may not yet be meeting or are meeting virtually.

Plymouth II Alano, 610 Hopkins Crossroad in Minnetonka, has re-opened. Some of the Al‑Anon groups that meet there have restarted in person, are meeting virtually, or both.

Uptown House, 1344 Summit Ave in Saint Paul, has re-opened with no restrictions for Al‑Anon and AA meetings. Groups wanting to restart in person should notify the Uptown House steering committee (info@uptowngroupstpaul.com). Some groups are meeting virtually. See below.