ARTICLE XI. FELLOWSHIP COMMUNITY GROUP AND MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Fellowship Community Group (FCG)
The corporation will create & foster a perpetual fellowship community group (FCG) of
substance abuse addicts, providing them a real & virtual social network that brings together
like-minded individuals into a forum where each can share their experience, strength & hope
with others who suffer, those who wish to recover from their addiction, and/or learn from
those who have already recovered through building trusted human relationships with
interactions both in-person & online. As society changes, so too will the Corporation by
adopting new, relevant, & effective policies to support, foster & grow the Fellowship
Community Group.
Section 2. Membership to the Fellowship Community Group
The only necessary requirement to joining the Fellowship Community Group is that a
person who is addicted to a mind-altering substance & has demonstrated a history of abuse of
that substance, also possesses a desire to stop using or to maintain the cessation of its use by
applying a 12 Step Recovery Plan adopted by the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Corporate Adoption of Spiritual Principles to Guide Addiction Recovery
The Corporation adopts the 12 Steps of Recovery contained within The Big Book of
Alcoholics Anonymous as its spiritual model of operation. We are not affiliated with Alcoholics
Anonymous; we will not speak for, advertise as, promote as, conduct business for, nor
represent Alcoholics Anonymous World Wide or any of its subsidiaries within the operations of
our organization. The Corporation has only elected to adopt the 12 Steps of Recovery as our
one & only 12 Step guide of spiritual principles – which is freely distributed by Alcoholics
Anonymous via their website & literature distributed.
The Alcoholics Anonymous 12 Traditions will not be formerly adopted due to the 11th
tradition, as we seek to promote our events & spread our message leveraging current
technology available within our present society – technologies that were not available when
the 12 Traditions were written in 1950. While not formerly adopted, members of our
Fellowship Community Group are more than welcome to practice them on their own accord.
Individuals who participate in our fellowship program will be encouraged to adopt these
same 12 Steps of Recovery & apply these steps in their own lives to assist them in their
personal journey.
Section 4. Expected Code of Conduct for FCG Membership
Each person who claims membership to the Fellowship Community Group should work to
consistently demonstrate the following characteristics in dealing with others:
- Honesty – all times, all situations with all persons.
- Showing spiritual love & compassion to those who seek help.
- Enable others to improve themselves rather than destroy themselves.
- Maintain humility in all areas; we are not perfect & should refrain from criticizing others.
- Forgiveness of others, no matter the severity of offense.
- Reserve judgement of others for their Creator. Refrain from gossip.
- Seek the best in other individuals, even when seemingly impossible.
- Willingness to help, whenever possible, wherever possible for anyone in need.
- Seek spiritual resolutions first, to secular challenges through prayer & meditation.
- Consistently work to improve personal skills through experience & education.
- Take no action that cannot be rationally explained & convincing to 12 strangers.
- Carry the message of hope to others by exemplifying these characteristics
Section 5. Qualified Sponsorship
The corporation endorses the generally acknowledged & accepted practice within the
Alcoholics Anonymous community of sponsorship. Sponsorship refers to a fellowship member
teaching how they successfully recovered from their substance abuse disorder (known as
Sponsor) to new members who wish to participate in the fellowship (known as Sponsee).
It is generally recommended & strongly urged by the corporation that sponsors should
complete all 12 Steps of Recovery outlined in The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous & receive
acknowledgement from their individual sponsor, to qualify as a sponsor to others. Upon
completing the 12 Steps, an individual will then be considered a Qualified Sponsor & become
eligible to share & teach their experience, strength & hope to new sponsees entering the FCG.
Section 6. Financial Recovery Support Assistance
Upon application by a known Fellowship Community Member, and with the approval of
that member’s Qualified Sponsor, the Corporation can with a unanimous affirmative vote by
the Board of Directors, provide financial assistance to specific individuals to assist them in their
recovery.
A. Approved Expenditures for Financial Recovery Support
a. Rental & Mortgage Assistance
b. Utility Bill Payments (electric, gas, sewer, water)
c. Groceries (food) from a local grocery store (not a convenience store)
d. Child Care Assistance
e. Child Care Items (blankets, diapers, formula, baby food, etc…)
f. Education Assistance
g. Automobile Repairs
h. Additional items following the prescribed process for Amendments in Article
IX of these bylaws.
B. Qualifications to receive Recovery Support Assistance:
a. Must be able to pass a drug/alcohol screen upon notice.
b. Referral & recommendation by the individual’s Qualified Sponsor.
c. Generally known to have adopted & applied an approved 12 Step Recovery
Plan continuously.
d. Can produce documentation of the expense (i.e. lease or rental agreement,
electric bill, gas bill, etc…)
e. Has not had any interactions with local police regarding any suspected
criminal involvement in the last year.
f. Has maintained sobriety from all mind-altering chemicals for at least ninety
days.
g. Individual has attended regular 12 Step meetings for the past ninety days &
can provide documentation to substantiate. (i.e. Meeting sheets signed by
Chair person)
h. Is currently employed & can provide proof of employment, or can provide
evidence of diligently seeking employment.
Exceptions to subsection A and subsection B of this Section can be made with unanimous
affirmative approval by the Board of Directors.
Section 7. Residential Recovery Assistance Program
A. Purpose:
To provide the actively recovering addict a clean, safe & stable living environment to
assist in their reintegration into society and minimize the potential for relapse. This will
allow the individual to focus on securing employment, develop new skills, save money
& focus their attention & efforts on recovering from their addiction without the added
stress of not having a residence, wrongfully evicted, or illegally evicted.
B. Lease Agreements
The Corporation is authorized to enter into lease agreements with the following
leasing entities:
i. public and/or private owners
ii. properly registered 501(c)(3) organizations
iii. properly registered for-profit organizations
that own residential houses, apartments, dormitories, or other types of
dwellings suitable for inhabitants & compliant with all municipal ordinances,
county ordinances, & West Virginia State Public Health & Safety Laws &
Regulations.
The President is authorized to enter into an agreement on behalf of the
Corporation with leasing entities identified previously, or may designate another
Officer/Director to negotiate & act on behalf of the organization, provided the
President approves any agreement before presenting the agreement to the
Board of Directors for final approval.
i. All properties to be leased by The Joshua Generation, Inc. must provide
documents ensuring compliance of all local, county & state safety
regulations for presentation to the Board of Directors.
ii. The Board of Directors must approve all lease contracts with a threequarters affirmative vote before entering into the legal agreement.
iii. The President, or any Director/Officer so designated, can sign the legal
agreement on behalf of the Corporation after approval by the Board of
Directors.
C. Facility (House)
The leased facility ( House ) will be made available for habitation by individuals
provided the facility is in compliance with all local, county ordinances & state
public health & safety laws of the State of West Virginia.
Each house must be certified by the West Virginia Alliance of Recovery
Residences.
Each house must meet standards set forth by the National Alliance of Recovery
Residences. See Addendum 1
Each house must adhere to the National Alliance of Recovery Residences Code of
Ethics. See Addendum 2
D. House Manager
The Board of Directors shall appoint one individual ( House Manager ) to be
solely responsible for enforcing the rules of the Corporation, ensuring
compliance with all local & county ordinances & state laws, and maintain all
operations of the house including managing resource (electric, gas, water),
facility upgrades & repairs, internal conflicts amongst residents & other general
operations.
The House Manager must maintain reasonable availability to effectively respond
to any & all situations regarding house operation & compliance including fire
hazards.
E. House Operation Rules
Each House operated by the Corporation must adhere to & comply with, at all
times, these bylaws representing the Corporation & members of the Board of
Directors.
Additional, specific rules governing each House operations, admissions,
dismissals & other tenant responsibilities can be created & implemented,
providing a simple majority vote of affirmative by the Board of Directors. All
subsequent adoption of individual House rules & operating procedures can be
amended to these bylaws as outlined in Article IX.
Section 8. Recovery Skills & Station Improvement Resources
The Joshua Generation, Inc, will make available to any known member of the Fellowship
Community Group, or any resident of the Residential Recovery Assistance Program information
to improve their station in life including learning to read, job placement information,
educational opportunities, enrolling in a school or alternative job skill development course, and
may – in approved cases – contribute towards the individual’s tuition with a three-quarters
majority affirmative vote by the Board of Directors.