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single mothers

She struggled as a young single mom. And that’s exactly why she’s hiring them now.

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"As a single mom, I never got to get a good job," says Lisa Howard, 28.

Lisa had her son when she was only 16. She was also in foster care at the time, so for more than half her life, she struggled to make a living and take care of her family.

And she's not alone. According to the United States Census Bureau, 27.5% of single moms were jobless in 2016, and those who did work only made an average of $34,500 that year.

Many single moms feel limited in their options, struggling to balance the demands of child care with workplaces that may not always be able to accommodate their unique needs. It can quickly become discouraging, a struggle that Lisa knew all too well.

"If you want your child to be the best they can be, you put them first," she says.

Despite challenges, Lisa didn't give up. And that determination would lead her on a path that would not only transform her family's life, but would allow her to support other families like hers.

My 🌏 #momisbest #shewastryingtokissme #iblockthekisshehe #momnokissespleaseee #cookiekid #cookiemom
A post shared by Mr. Cory (@mrcory) on Sep 14, 2017 at 6:05am PDT

But it wasn't easy. At first, they had to forgo some things many other families take for granted — like a car.

It was a "luxury" Lisa simply couldn't afford, so she and her son had to take the bus everywhere.

Despite that, Cory and Lisa made do as best they could.

Cory, however, wanted to do something big to help his mom— he wanted to make enough money to buy her a car.

He started selling cookies to passersby at a small stand when he was just 6 years old to put that goal within reach. Before long, he and his mom developed the definitive cookie recipe — and they decided to turn that into a fully incorporated business.

Gotta keep moving it the cookie hustle guys.. 👊 #mrcoryscookies @mrcoryscookies #keeppushingforward #yourunstoppable
A post shared by Mr. Cory (@mrcory) on Dec 15, 2016 at 5:24am PST

They called it Mr. Cory's Cookies.

Cory's the CEO of the company and Lisa's the CFO. Considering she was the catalyst for the whole idea, it seems like a fair split. They make a great (and adorable) team.

Cookie Mom please I'm older now no more kisses 😩😳 #cookiesmakeyousmile #cookiemomsaysshewillalwayskissmeevenwhenim50 #kidsanyadvice
A post shared by Mr. Cory (@mrcory) on Nov 27, 2017 at 7:10pm PST

Their company garnered a lot of attention initially, even from talk show hosts. In fact, Ellen DeGeneres had him on her show and surprised him with a new car for his family.

But while his first goal of getting his mom a car was achieved, the duo now had a burgeoning company that still required some special attention.

Both mom and son still had a lot to learn about running a successful business, which they realized when problems with their distribution arose.

Since Mr. Cory's Cookies are made of all-natural ingredients, they don't have a long shelf-life, so their distributor couldn't distribute them as-is. As a result, the manufactured recipe changed and product sales came to a grinding halt.

Cory with Marcus Lemonis. Photo via CNBC.

Thankfully Marcus Lemonis, host of CNBC's "The Profit," came in to help turn things around.

Marcus learned at a young age how to help a business thrive. Now he's using that know-how to help other struggling businesses as part of the reality TV series.

After sampling their product and talking with Cory and Lisa, Marcus agreed to invest in their small company. And while he was incredibly impressed with Cory's maturity and go-getter attitude, it was Lisa's story that inspired him to take on the business.

My ❤️ #cookielove #iminlove #myeverything #shesthereasonforitall
A post shared by Mr. Cory (@mrcory) on Jun 23, 2017 at 11:18pm PDT

Since she had Cory so young and under difficult circumstances, she's always felt like she's been fighting tooth and nail to get the life she wants and, more importantly, deserves for her family.

This business opportunity is giving her a glimpse of what could be possible for her and Cory's future, which is why it's so precious.

It's her chance to reach the goal she's only dreamed of — running a truly successful company and maybe even help other moms like her along the way.

Lisa's long-term hope for Mr. Cory's Cookies is to hire a staff that's 70% single mothers to help give them a leg up.

Cory's mom, Lisa. Photo via CNBC.

"We can help them by giving them a chance," explains Lisa.

This business could be Lisa's opportunity to turn things around for women like her who've been fighting an uphill battle for their families.

Marcus helps Lisa and Cory get Mr. Cory's Cookies back on track, including solving their distribution problems and introducing them to key companies that can help them expand.

But does Lisa end up with her dream staff? Tune-in to The Profit tomorrow at 10PM ET/PT on CNBC to find out.

Can't wait till then? Here's a sneak peak of the upcoming episode.

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See the heart-bursting moment a man 'proposed' to his girlfriend's 5-year-old daughter.

Dating as a single parent isn't easy. Just ask Cassandra Reschar.

"I have full custody of my daughter and very little 'me' time," she wrote on How He Asked. There are over 13 million parents in the U.S. just like her.

Then she met Grant Tribbett online, and the two hit it off big-time over the next couple of weeks, constantly trading messages and eventually phone calls.

Their relationship blossomed from there, and one day, six months or so into dating, Tribbett asked Reschar and her 5-year-old daughter, Adrianna, to come on a walk through the woods with him.

In the middle of the forest, on a small wooden footbridge, Tribbett dropped to one knee and asked Reschar to spend the rest of her life with him.

The proposal was a big surprise, but Tribbett had a few more tricks up his sleeve:

"As soon as he got down on one knee, my friend, who is a professional photographer (Mandi Gilliland), came out of hiding and captured one of the best moments of my life!" Reschar wrote.

[rebelmouse-image 19531894 dam="1" original_size="735x490" caption="All photos by Mandi Gilliland Photography, used with permission." expand=1]All photos by Mandi Gilliland Photography, used with permission.

Kids aren't usually invited along on romantic walks in the woods, but Tribbett wanted Adrianna to be there for an incredibly touching reason.

After getting the "Yes!" and sliding an engagement ring onto Reschar's finger, he turned to Adrianna and got back down on one knee.

"Adrianna, can I be your daddy?" he said.

"To promise to love and protect you for the rest of your life?"

He even offered her a small heart necklace.

As Reschar burst into happy tears, Adrianna could only muster a meek "thank you" at first.

"I finally get a Daddy, Mommy!" Adrianna finally yelled, according to her mom.

"I finally get a Daddy..."

The family's story is capturing hearts all across the internet. "He knew that my daughter was my world and that this wasn’t just a commitment between us but a commitment to our family," Reschar told the Huffington Post.

The photos are touching, but they also prove an important point: Most research has shown that parental makeup plays little to no role in a child's long-term well-being.

Meaning: There's no right or wrong way to make a family. What's important is that kids feel love and commitment from their parents, whether they be exes, gay, straight, step, or anything else.

Kudos to the happy couple and Adrianna for bringing this important message to the world.

A Facebook post from Sheryl Sandberg has gone viral.

Last spring, Sheryl Sandberg's life changed in the blink of an eye.

Her husband, Dave Goldberg, died unexpectedly while the pair were on vacation. The tragedy placed Sandberg, the COO of Facebook and a mother of two, in a role she'd never been in before: single parent.

"For me, this is still a new and unfamiliar world," she wrote in a Facebook post in honor of Mother's Day on May 6, 2016. "Before, I did not quite get it. I did not really get how hard it is to succeed at work when you are overwhelmed at home. I did not understand how often I would look at my son’s or daughter’s crying face and not know how to stop the tears."

Goldberg’s death didn't just change Sandberg personally — it forced her to reflect on the messages she's promoted as a successful author and businesswoman.

And some of those messages, she noted, should have been crafted differently.

"Some people felt that I did not spend enough time writing about the difficulties women face when they have an unsupportive partner or no partner at all," Sandberg wrote of her best-selling book, "Lean In."

"They were right."

"Lean In," a best-seller that coaches women (and men) on how to counter gender bias at work, was no stranger to criticism. Many felt Sandberg downplayed the effects of systemic sexism in the work place, as well as overlooked the unique challenges faced by disadvantaged women and women of color.

Judging from her post, however, it seems being a single parent is giving Sandberg some new perspective:

"I will never experience and understand all of the challenges most single moms face, but I understand a lot more than I did a year ago."

Sandberg explained many single moms face uphill battles every single day, and our policies do little to help them make ends meet.

Noting she's "extremely fortunate" to have the financial means to support her family, Sandberg said she's in the minority — "the odds are stacked against" most moms doing it alone. And even though the number of single-parent households has been on the rise, our workplace policies don't reflect this modern reality.

The U.S. remains the only advanced economy in the world that doesn't require employers to guarantee paid maternity leave, as Sandberg pointed out. Far too many single moms also work in jobs that don't provide paid time off if they or their children are sick.

How are working single moms — a group that is already disproportionately poor — supposed to get ahead when they're living in these circumstances?

The best way we can celebrate Mother's Day? "Vow to do more to support" the moms who need us most, Sandberg wrote.

"Single moms have been leaning in for a long time — out of necessity and a desire to provide the best possible opportunities for their children," she said in her post.

"Being a mother is the most important — and most humbling — job I’ve ever had. As we rightly celebrate motherhood, we should give special thanks to the women who are raising children on their own. And let’s vow to do more to support them, every day."