About 4,000 Al-Anon members from around the world will meet at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland, for the 2018 Al-Anon Family Groups International Convention, July 6-8.

Al-Anon Family Groups, established in 1951, offers help and hope to anyone who has been affected by a loved one’s drinking. In the US, alcohol is a cause of family trouble for over one-third of Americans, according to Gallup’s Consumption Habits poll; thirty-six percent report alcohol-related incidents have interfered with their family life. According to the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA), approximately one in four children under 18 in the US are affected by a parent’s addiction to alcohol and other substances.

Al-Anon Family Groups, which includes Alateen for younger family members, understands the importance of family recovery from the effects of alcoholism. “Sometimes it is easy to see what alcohol is doing to the drinker,” Al-Anon’s Senior Communications Specialist, Mona Dougherty, said. “It may be more difficult to see what it is doing to the rest of the family.”

The theme of Al-Anon Family Groups’ sixth International Convention, “Celebrating One Day at a Time,” reflects the organization’s ongoing commitment to family recovery, and a nod to its classic daily reader, One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, on its 50th anniversary. The book was published in 1968 and continues to be a source of inspiration to millions of people in Al-Anon’s 67-year history.

Al-Anon Family Groups meet in more than 130 countries, and Al-Anon/Alateen books and pamphlets are available in over 40 languages. Maryland is home to 279 Al-Anon and Alateen mutual support groups, and the city of Baltimore offers close to 30 weekly meetings for people to attend. What is shared during meetings is confidential, and the anonymity of members is strictly protected. There are no dues for membership.

Al-Anon Family Groups is completely self-supporting through voluntary contributions from its members and sale of its literature. The non-profit organization declines contributions from non-members, and accepts no outside funding from government, foundations, or other agencies.

For more information about Al-Anon Family Groups or Alateen for young people, go to alanon.org to view a copy of “Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism 2019” or to listen to a “First Steps to Al‑Anon Recovery” podcast.

To find a local meeting, visit al-anon.org/al-anon-meetings or call toll-free: 1-888-4AL-ANON.