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Carey's Corner
An update from the Executive Director especially for you
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Greetings!,
To everything there is a season, and a time and purpose under Heaven.
-Ecclesiastes 3
After the difficult season we all just experienced, I hope you have enjoyed what feels like a return to "normal" as vaccination rates rise and we are once again able to gather with our loved ones.
It has been a season of many contrasts at Malta House. At MH2, Spring was a very busy season of the close of our 2-1/2 year-long capital campaign, landscaping, final finishes, the long-awaited elevator installation, decorating, and our Ribbon Cutting.
Summer, however, has so far been a quiet season of waiting patiently for our final inspections so we can finally move into our new home!
While being in this holding pattern has made it difficult to make plans for a summer vacation, I seized this downtime from MH2 activity and recently took my first days off in 16 months to visit my hometown of Rochester, NY. Though nothing very exotic or exciting, it was a week filled with all the seasons we all experience in life:
A time to mourn after hearing the news of the passing of our dear friend and long-time supporter of Malta House, Dick Whitcomb.
A time to rejoice at the news of the birth of the granddaughter of another wonderful friend of our home; the health of our newest Malta baby; and the new jobs of several of our moms.
A time to embrace my colleagues as I heard the news of a Malta mom in need of some extra prayers.
A time to celebrate at the news of the son of one of our new board members, who was able to reap the benefits of many years of hard work when he was drafted by a major league baseball team.
... And, it was a time to marvel at the beauty of 4 displays of fireworks set off on the shores of Lake Ontario; a time to laugh until I cried during an evening with my childhood best friend; a time for summer reading; and a time for chocolate almond frozen custard with my younger brother! :)
What a week!
This season of heat, humidity, and stillness seems to have opened the door to all the "stuff of life," but above all, it has been a season of love...because it is YOUR love that has kept our door open at Prowitt Street for the past 23 years, and will soon open our door to MH2.
Whatever you are doing this summer, I hope you are healthy and well, and that you are celebrating all that this season has to offer and a return to all the things and people you love most.
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Carey Dougherty
Executive Director
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We officially opened up our new home on 139 West Rocks Road in Norwalk!
On June 3, we officially opened the doors to our beautiful new home for mothers and babies at 139 West Rocks Road. Our official "ribbon cutting" was a special invitation-only celebration in conjunction with a longtime community partner, the Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce. We were also blessed by the presence of Bishop Frank Caggiano, Congressman Jim Himes, and Norwalk Mayor and First Lady Harry and Lucia Rilling.
After 23 years at 5 Prowitt Street, we are packing our belongings and planning to move to our new home very soon!
This move will enable us to increase our impact for the next 20 years and beyond. The new home, a former convent on the All Saints Catholic School campus in Norwalk, has more bedrooms and larger rooms, enabling us to help break the cycle of homelessness and intergenerational poverty for even more young women and their children.
The move into the newly renovated home will increase our capacity to serve mothers and babies by 50 percent. We will offer more classes and services to single mothers outside of the residential program and provide more staff offices, a spacious nursery for both infants and toddlers, and family suites that allow us to welcome a mother with two children. Additionally, the new building has a beautiful Chapel for reflection, prayer, adoration, and Mass, and open space for fresh air and playtime for the little ones.
Carey Dougherty, the executive director, reflects, “I have spent many Saturdays at our new home with various groups of volunteers, all generously giving up a morning to roll up their sleeves and assemble cribs, move furniture, put chairs and tables together, and decorate bedrooms. What a gift it has been to see such hands-on acts of love and kindness. We are grateful to everyone who has played a part in creating this very special home. We could never have done this without their support.”
Please find below a link to photos of the interior and exterior of our new home and a video showcasing the transformation of this building to our new home for moms and babies.
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Enjoy these highlights from our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony held on June 3 |
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"The house that love built" |
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Meet our graduate: Your support has made Ashley's accomplishment possible |
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This past June 25, Malta House resident Ashley celebrated her graduation From Norwalk High School. She is now eight months pregnant and has been a part of our program since May 27th.
Your support is helping young women just like Ashley on their road to obtaining education, financial literacy, parenting skills, and much more so that they can journey towards a life of independence and self-sufficiency.
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You make success stories like Ashley possible each and every day at Malta House.
Thank you!
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Because of your support, we can serve the greater Norwalk community through our Outreach Program
Each month, Malta House receives many generous donations of baby equipment, clothing, diapers, and food. We have become known throughout our county as being a critical resource for these necessities and feel fortunate that we can share our gifts with former residents and other low-income families in need.
This Spring, Community Outreach hosted a Spring Giveaway in preparation for our move to MH2. Our community families were thrilled to receive new clothing, unused toys, household items, extra diapers, and childcare supplies. Several shared their gratitude for receiving clothing that will be perfect for their children in the new school year.
Through this event held on Saturday, June 7, Malta House served 45 families and had over ten amazing volunteers assisting in the outreach.
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Your gifts hard at work doing small things with great love |
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“There are no great things, only small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa
At Malta House, we firmly believe in the power of small things making a big impact.
We see it every day in the kind smile of someone who drops off a new stroller for a mother in need or when we catch a nursery volunteer teaching an infant to clap and find his or her voice.
For women who have experienced trauma, homelessness, and sometimes desperation, great love through seemingly small acts is the most comforting and transformative.
Thank you for your gifts to support our mothers and babies. Through your giving, you made a big impact - you gave with great love.
Below we feature some of the stories your giving helped to make possible.
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Meet Jewel: because of YOU, her life is being transformed
Jewel, a current Malta House mom, recently found employment at a local store. She received her very first paycheck and created her first household budget with her Case Manager.
Her goal is to save enough money to rent an apartment on her road to independence for her and her baby, Dessie.
"Malta House has provided me with the support I need to become financially stable for me and my baby and one day rent an apartment and save for my future dreams. Thank you, Malta House."
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Meet Suzanna: because of YOUR support, she is on the way to independence |
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Suzanna started school on July 6 and will be attending five days a week for half-days. She is an ambitious young woman working on her school work and continuing her ESL courses, and working at a local restaurant on the evenings and weekends.
The Malta House Nursery is one of the greatest aspects of our program. While working or going to school, our Nursery is open 5 days a week from 7am to 7pm and our staff and volunteers provide free childcare so Mom can get back on her feet.
The bonds and friendships built at Malta House are so beautiful! The moms work together to support one another, and Suzanne will have the help of her housemate, Diane, who will be taking over childcare duties in the evenings while she works.
Because of you, Suzanne is taking all the steps that she needs to move towards her dreams of one day acclimatizing to her new home and providing for herself and her little one.
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Because YOU care, our nursery is now full of cuddles and coos! |
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Between moving preparations, cuddles, coos, and welcoming our returning volunteers, it has been a busy time in the Malta House nursery.
Recently, a team of volunteers met at MH2 and helped prepare our new nursery space.
They wiped down cabinets, drawers and arranged some furnishings in both the infant and toddler areas. A God-send, the D’Orso family also delivered several special developmental toys from a local toy drive they hosted.
Our active volunteers are now returning to join our Nursery Assistant, Brianna, with a steady rotation of babies and toddlers. It’s been great having more help, hugs, and love to share with our children.
We thank you for making all of our nursery cuddles and coos possible!
Through your small acts, you are providing a safe space and free childcare for our moms and their babies so that they can make strides towards their independence. You are breaking the barriers to homelessness.
Without you, these small life-changing acts would not possible.
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Our MH2 nursery is now ready and waiting for our first babies to make this house a home.
Thank you for making these miracles possible!
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Thanks to YOU, we have welcomed another new baby to our very special home! |
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Malta House is proud to announce that we have a new addition to our home!
In the last month, we welcomed the birth of baby Aboyomi to our new mom, Ruth, on June 12th. Baby Aboyomi weighed in at 7 lbs and 4 oz.
Join us in welcoming baby Aboyomi!
Because of you making Malta House possible, we are so thrilled to offer a warm welcome to our new little bundle of joy!
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Malta House partners with Norwalk ACTS to track our children's development and ensure our babies reach all their milestones
Norwalk ACTS is implementing a new screening tool in children's homes being implemented across the county to track and assess their development before entering kindergarten.
The developmental screening tool called the Standardized Ages, and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) allows parents and caregivers to pinpoint developmental progress in children between the ages of one month to five and a half years.
The ASQ measures a child's communication, fine motor, gross motor, personal-social, and problem-solving skills.
Tracking children's developmental progress for 60 months using ASQ allows parents to understand their child's developmental needs, track their progress, and determine steps for early intervention if needed. (Not to mention, celebrate their successes and milestones!)
Their efforts provide a standardized process for screening, tracking, and promoting child development.
Norwalk ACTS has asked Malta House to partner with them to complete ASQ screenings with our babies and their moms and provide tiered interventions to ensure that our Malta House children are developmentally on track with a reduced risk for delays.
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Thank YOU for your help in providing Hope for Life as our Malta House family continues to grow.
– the Board of Malta House
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Our Mission: Malta House promotes the dignity of God-given life by providing a nurturing home environment, support services, and independent living skills to pregnant and parenting mothers of all faiths and their children.
Mothers at Malta House receive on-site counseling, financial education, and parental development, followed by transitional and post-residential support.
Providing 'Hope for Life' for pregnant and parenting mothers and their children
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Don't forget to follow us on social media! |
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