Share this article And a thank you from the General Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous for continued cooperation NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- From time to time we reach out to our friends in the media to thank them for helping us observe our long-standing tradition of anonymity for members of Alcoholics Anonymous. First, we'd like to express our thanks. From the beginning of A.A. over 85 years ago, we've recognized that word-of-mouth is not enough to carry the A.A. program's message of hope and recovery to the many people still suffering from alcoholism. We've needed help -- and the media has been a vital part of this effort. Today we estimate that there are more than 2 million successfully recovering members of Alcoholics Anonymous in more than 180 countries, and much of this growth can be attributed to the willingness of journalists and media professionals around the world to take an interest in our Fellowship.