Welcome

Welcome to the Friends of Wells/Robertson House web site!

Friends of Wells/Robertson House, Inc. (FWRH) was created in 1993 as a 501(c) (3) non-profit entity. This group functions as the fundraising and development arm for the Wells/Robertson House and its programs and is independent of the program itself. The Board operates as a working Board and is made up of a diverse, dedicated, professional, volunteer group from the community. The entire Board meets monthly as do three subcommittees to aggressively conduct business, search for new opportunities, and brainstorm ways to enhance and enrich the lives of those who reside in the Wells/Robertson House. The primary goals of the Board include: 1) Build an endowment so that the future of the Wells/Robertson House is sustained, 2) Promote community awareness and a positive image of the House, 3) Educate the community on issues of homelessness, addiction, co-occurring disorders, and treatment models, and 4) Seek financial and other opportunities to extend and expand services and facilities.

The finances for the non-profit are independent of the money used to operate the program. All money generated by the Friends of Wells/Robertson House has been through generous donations, aggressive fundraising by the Board, and wise investing practices. These funds are handled by the Executive Director and support the operations of the Board, its marketing and all programs. Currently, the Friends of Wells/Robertson House, Inc. does not support the operating budget of the Wells/Robertson House. The FWRH Board works cooperatively with City of Gaithersburg Human Services staff to accomplish these goals but functions as a separate entity both operationally and financially.

The Wells/Robertson House program provides transitional housing for homeless men and women undergoing alcohol/drug treatment who wish to break the cycle of homelessness and addiction. The residents have up to two years to establish and maintain their recovery and locate permanent housing. The House was established in 1988 by the City of Gaithersburg in response to the concerns expressed by local business groups about the increasing visibility of homeless people in Olde Towne Gaithersburg. Since its inception, this program has been a remarkable partnership between the City of Gaithersburg and community partners who have worked together to address the needs of homeless alcoholics and addicts living on the streets of Gaithersburg and Montgomery County. Wells/Robertson House is the only facility of this kind in Montgomery County and one of only two in Maryland. The house is owned and operated by the City of Gaithersburg and is under the Human Service Division.