“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” - Charles Dickens. “It is a very well-known quote and very fitting right now during these frightening and unusual circumstances in our world,” said Carey Dougherty, Executive Director of Malta House in Norwalk, a home for pregnant mothers and their babies.  “Without our home, our residents would truly have nowhere to go.  How does one ‘shelter in place’ when they have no shelter to begin with? Most Connecticut shelters will offer 90 days of housing to someone in need, but not to a mother and child– they would be separated.

Malta House is a 24-hour care facility and we are feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have had to distance our staff with some working from home, and others working on a reduced-hour alternate schedule; we are not allowing any visitors or volunteers on site and we have been screening our residents and babies regularly to ensure they remain healthy and safe.  Each year, Malta House raises nearly $250,000 with our Annual Spring Gala.  We raise additional funds at other planned smaller events, but our Gala is our biggest fundraiser”, said Dougherty.  “We have postponed our gala until the fall, as well as all of our other in-person fundraisers and speaking engagements at local parishes, since they are closed too.  That means a significant and critical shortfall in our operating funds this spring, this summer and beyond.  It will be difficult to fill this gap.”

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