Molly’s House celebrates 30-year anniversary in Stuart
STUART, Fla. —
A Treasure Coast nonprofit is marking three decades of service to the community.
Molly’s House offers affordable, temporary housing for patients and families traveling for medical care.
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“Molly’s looking down. And I know Molly is very happy about the staff, the people who run this place. And, what a clean, welcoming home it is. It is truly a home away from home,” said Kevin Sharkey, Molly’s dad.
This home was Molly Sharkey’s dream.
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She died in 1992 at the age of 18 after being diagnosed with a rare type of leukemia. Before her death, she told her family that she wanted to give back to other families going through similar situations while getting treatment, providing them with a home away from home.
“We knew how important it was to have housing. If I recall, it was $30 a night, and the Ronald McDonald houses were wonderful. I mean, you do – you get the whole sense of community. You just feel safe,” Sharkey said.
Molly’s House opened in Stuart on Sept. 21, 1996, which would have been Molly’s 23rd birthday.
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Since then, it has welcomed families from all over the world who need support during medical crises.
“Molly’s House has 14 guest bedrooms. And so, we not only provide lodging, but it’s really a sense of community. A lot of the families get together; they cook dinner, they share stories. They’re all here for different reasons. We do have patients that are pretty local, but then others that are coming from out of state; they can stay from one night up until several months, depending on what they’re getting treated for,” executive director Katie Bartlett said.
Now, 30 years after its grand opening, Sharkey and the rest of the Molly’s House family are honoring everyone who pitched in to make her dream come true from staff, to patrons, contractors who donated their services free of charge, but most of all Molly herself.
“She knew exactly how it was going to be laid out, and that window seat is exactly what she wanted. Her hopes and dreams were to sit in that window seat. Hold her cat and look out the window. She never got to do that. She died in Disney, but that was her last wish,” Sharkey said.
If you’d like to help Molly’s House continue its mission, click here.
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