I‘m 60 years old. I came to the United States, from Germany, when I was twenty years old, looking for adventure and a better life. I waited tables and worked in kitchens for years and then started bartending. This is when my alcoholism began to take its toll. I was not able to maintain employment and fell into a destructive cycle. I would find new jobs only to lose them again due to my addiction. My relationship with my children suffered and I was just not happy.

After years of this cycle, I realized that I needed to get my life back. I checked myself into rehab and began the difficult process of recovery from alcoholism. It was one of the most difficult decisions I ever made, but I‘m so glad I did it. My counselors helped me through the difficult early stages of recovery, and as soon as I could, I told them I wanted to start working again. But I needed a little help. I hadn‘t had a job for years and I needed someone to teach me how to get one. Project Comeback, ACE‘s job-readiness program, really gave me the individual support and guidance I needed. They taught me how to write a resume, use a computer and, most importantly, helped me prepare for an interview at Montclair State University.

I got the job and have been working there, as the assistant to the head chef, for over a year! It‘s the most important thing that has ever happened to me. This job has changed my life. My commute takes a long time and the hours aren‘t the greatest, but I love what I do and have been able to save money and meet new people. I recently moved out of my treatment program into my own apartment and have been taught to be proud of myself and what I have accomplished.