Jennifer Moore is no stranger to adversity and knows the true definition of “hitting rock bottom.” She spent close to 20 years homeless, unemployed and addicted to drugs, which led to time in and out of jail. She dropped out of school in the 10th grade and lost contact and relationships with the children she
had along the way. Worst of all, she lost hope.
After years of battling her addiction and headed to prison, Jennifer finally asked for the help she desperately needed. Her saving grace came in the form of the State of Texas’s Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility (SAFPF), a program that provides services to qualified offenders identified as needing substance abuse treatment.
Jennifer completed her treatment program and left prison with a GED, a certificate in Business Computer Information Systems, and a new lease on life. Now came the hard part of re-entering society: finding a place to live and a way to support herself. After her release, Jennifer had to complete after-release treatment at the VOA (Volunteers of America), which operates a halfway house where she was able to live. A resident there told Jennifer about Goodwill Industries, and Jennifer jumped at the opportunity to work and become a productive citizen.
In 2011, Jennifer started work at Goodwill North Central Texas as a Day Laborer, picking up highway litter and loading trucks on the dock. Soon, she was hired as a permanent employee on Goodwill’s Lawn and Maintenance Crew. In 2014, she joined Goodwill Staffing Services (GSS) as a supervisor. Promoted to the department’s manager, Jennifer is giving people with disabilities and barriers to employment a second chance through the power of work.
Today, Jennifer is working, actively attends church, and helps care for her mother. “God saved me, Goodwill gave me a chance,” she said. Her journey of recovery has allowed her to support herself for the first time, reconnect with some of her children, be a grandmother, and have new experiences. She credits her success to the opportunity she was given at Goodwill and cherishes the ability she now has to help others who are in the shoes she once wore.