Molli’s current job in furniture sales has helped her find her career niche. She is pursuing a Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts at the Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham. Molli is studying interior design with a goal of working first in residential design, and later in commercial design.
Both of Molli’s children are autistic. Her 15-year old son is very high functioning and doing well. Her daughter, although 14 years old, functions at the level of an 18 month old and receives six hours of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy each day. Challenged with raising two autistic children, Molli is determined to create a better life for her family. After 14 years as a victim of domestic violence, Molli finally found the strength to leave. Within three short weeks she was able to find work and an apartment in the town where her daughter receives therapy. Since moving Molli has struggled. She had to get a restraining order. With no family nearby to assist, she struggles every month with the child care expenses.
While the high cost of child care makes it difficult to make ends meet, she is proud of the fact that she has never collected unemployment or lived off her daughter’s social security. Molli knows that getting an education will help her get control over her life and better her situation. Her children are her motivation to achieve her goals. She shares, “My daughter will live with me as long as I can care for her. Hopefully, she never has to leave. I also want to show my son that hard work pays off. ”