Stepping Stones, in Bedford Hills, NY, was donated to Bill & Lois W., founders of A.A. & Al-Anon, by a woman whose family was torn up by the disease of alcoholism.

 

Anne S., wife of the  AA co-founder, Dr. Bob, was from Akron , Ohio and visited Bill and Lois often. Anne S. was the first person to encourage wives and families to use AA's Twelve Steps for healing their own lives. She is considered Al-Anon's Pioneer.

 

After Anne S.' death in 1951, Al-Anon's co-founders, Lois W. and Anne B., met at Stepping Stones to guide the early formation of  'AA Auxiliaries' and 'Family Groups' and the eventual development of Al-Anon.

 

In May, 1951 Lois & Anne B. asked eighty-seven of the early family groups to unite into one national organization for families of alcoholics. Forty-eight groups responded with an enthusiastic 'Yes!' and 'Al-Anon Family Groups' was born.

 

Today there are over 24,000 Al-Anon groups, and nearly 1,800 Alateen groups, in 131 countries worldwide.