The Need to Serve More Mothers and Babies

After conducting strategic planning three years ago and enlisting the consulting support from Harvard Business School Community Partners, we concluded that the need exists to expand our services and to serve more women. Findings from the Community Partners Report revealed that each year in Fairfield County, there are over 300 births to unmarried women ages 18-24 living below the poverty line and having their first or second child, and over 110 women in Fairfield County are receiving homelessness and housing services who are pregnant or parenting between the ages 14-24.

Our current building has served us well, but with just 10 beds, space remains tight. Because of the small room sizes, Department of Health regulations limit us to one mother and one child per room; thus, we are not able to serve pregnant women who already have a child. A larger building will help us better fulfill our mission and meet the needs that were revealed in the Community Partners Report.

Our Plans

Renovate a Larger Building
Estimated cost of $2.5 million

Under our plan we would move from our current property and renovate a larger building in Norwalk. This building, a former convent, will be substantially larger than our current property and will provide 15 rooms—some of which will be larger than those at our current building—allowing us to accommodate a mother with more than one child. With the increased space, we are working with partner organizations to provide on-site services that may include parenting classes, legal services, health care and housing assistance.

Timeline: Move in to renovated building by December 2020.‍

Provide Funding to Cover Incremental Increases in Operating Expenses
‍$2 million over 20 years (approximately $100,000 a year)

Our expanded capacity and services will mean an incremental increase in our expenses, including staffing, benefits, insurance and utilities.

Timeline: December 2021‍

Increase Our Endowment
$2 million

Currently our endowment totals $1 million, and we propose boosting it to $3 million. Reaching this goal will enable us to eventually construct a second Malta House in Connecticut. This will fulfill our long-range strategic plan to operate two homes in the state to meet the strong demand for housing and services for mothers and children.

Timeline: December 2021

Our Next Step

The work to address these needs begins now. With the help of the Steier Group, a development consulting firm, Malta House is conducting a planning study that will help us decide whether to launch a capital campaign designed to raise the necessary funding required to successfully meet our goals. The study will provide answers to important questions such as:

• ‍What projects do our supporters and the community value most?
• How much money may we expect to raise in a campaign?
• Who would serve as our campaign leaders and campaign volunteers?

Your Feedback

Your input is a critical component to the success of our proposed plans, and we hope to count on you for participation in this planning study. Please take a few minutes to complete our online survey.

Click here to access our survey

Note: To complete this survey, please use the password: maltahouse2019