Montgomery County’s First Substance Use Disorder Recovery Community Drop-in Center to Open Later This Month

Per Tree of Hope Association: 
Rockville, MD, July 19, 2022 – Tree of Hope Association, a non-profit committed to support, education and advocacy for the recovery community, will open its doors as Montgomery County’s first SUD Recovery Community Drop-in Center at its Grand Opening on July 28, 2022.

“Tree of Hope was born out of a passion to bring hope and healing to those who struggle with addiction and the stigma of recovery, and a commitment to provide those in the recovery community with the support and resources they need to succeed as productive, contributing members of their communities” says LaTonia Rich, Executive Director of Tree of Hope Association.

Meghan Westwood, Executive Director of Maryland Treatment Centers and a long-time partner of Tree of Hope states that, “Maryland Treatment Centers has had the honor of partnering with Tree of Hope for years to ensure that people in early recovery understand their courage, resiliency and value to the community. Tree of Hope has been a leader in peer leadership for those in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, and has made incredible strides in combating the stigma that poses such a barrier to success. This new drop-in center will be a welcoming place to go, without judgment, to find like-minded individuals, with lived experience, to provide mentorship and support. Under the leadership of Latonia and Bunny Rich, Tree of Hope has created the gold standard in recovery support services.”

Attendees: Judge Nelson Rupp, Montgomery County Drug Court Judge; Dr. Raymond Crowell, Director, Department of Health and Human Services, Montgomery County, MD: Meghan Westwood, Executive Director of Maryland Treatment Center; Tholyn Twyman, US State’s Attorney’s Office; Jimmy Frazier-Bey, Executive Director of Wells Robertson’s House. Montgomery County Councilmen Sidney Katz, Andrew Friedson, Evan Glass and Will Jawando.

Tree of Hope has worked closely with community organizations in support of improving the lives of those in early recovery and their families. Montgomery County Drug Court Judge Nelson Rupp spoke in support of Tree of Hope’s mission, “As one of the founders of the Adult Drug Treatment Court for the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland, I am thrilled to learn of the opening of the Tree of Hope Recovery Center. This drop-in center fills a glaring need in our community. Overcoming the disease of addiction is hard work and requires commitment, dedication and discipline. It can’t be done alone. But even with significant support to get clean and sober, remaining clean and sober continues to be a challenge. The obstacles to employment, health care and housing are overwhelming and can easily result in frustrations that lead to relapses in recovery. By providing these core services to people new in recovery, the Tree of Hope Recovery Center provides essential support to those who are working hard to become contributing members of our community.”

Tree of Hope Recovery Center Community Grand Opening will take place Thursday, July 28 at 5:00pm in their new offices at 30 Courthouse Square, Rockville, MD 20850.

Tree of Hope Association was founded in 2014 to educate and advocate for individuals in the recovery community. It provides a connection to community resources and importantly a more wholistic continuum of care – empowering those in recovery to lead lives filled with meaning and purpose.