Hopkins followed those guidelines. She got a job at a packing company and advanced to become a supervisor, overseeing the administrative part of the operation. She got fired when she called out a week before Christmas. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she got a job at a local ShopRite, making $10 an hour.

Little did Hopkins know, but the forces of the universe were working in her favor, behind the scenes. The end of her stay at the Anderson House coincided with the beginning of her job at the packing company. She was working a lot of hours, and she was not at the house on a night when a successful attorney showed up to deliver a talk to the women at the house. He offered the women an opportunity to be employed by his firm.

The women who were interested in the opportunity had to write an essay, detailing why the attorney should select them for the two available positions. They also had to provide a resume. Hopkins felt as though she had a really good job, and she didn’t pursue the opportunity. Two women did get hired from Anderson House, but unfortunately, they both relapsed and lost those jobs.

When Hopkins lost her packing company position, she decided to reach out to the attorney, even though a couple of years had passed. The attorney did not have any positions at the time of Hopkins’ initial outreach. Three months later, however, Hopkins received an email from the attorney, inquiring if she was still interested. Hopkins began her job as Office Administrator for the Serra Law Group this past September.

Hopkins has been sober from heroine for four years and three months. But the good news doesn’t end there. Hopkins found out last week that she will graduate from Drug Court early, in May instead of July, because of the positive progress she’s made and because she consistently demonstrates her stability with her employment and with her living condition.

“Jenny is a good example of what Drug Court is intended to do for people in recovery,” said Tony Serra, Esq. the principal and owner of the Serra Law Group. “It’s a tough program and participants are accountable, almost weekly, but in the end, your record gets expunged and a few of the more difficult barriers to recovery get eliminated. So that’s all very good.”

Even though Hopkins is on a positive path forward, she continues to set new goals for herself. She has reconnected with her three children, who are 17, 15 and 13. She also wants to elevate her position at the law firm. She has her eye on a specific course at a local community college, but first she needs to pay off some student loan debt from her previous life.

“I’m only 37, and I’d like to continue my education,” she said. “I’m a people person, and I like working with people. And I’m working really hard at the office so that he (Serra) can see there’s potential in me.

“I can’t tell you how great it feels, going from worthless…” Hopkins concluded. “I’m accountable, and I feel good about being able to save some money. I’ve come very far and I’m proud of my accomplishments.”