I stayed at Malta House located in Norwalk, CT in 2025 for a few months. I applied to Malta House after much online research pertaining to shelter/housing for pregnant women. I was seeking not only shelter, but also a supportive and nurturing environment that would empower me as a first time mother.
From my brief experience, the program did not run in a way that aligned with Malta House's online mission statement. From the website, I had the impression that the program would focus on supporting a mother in areas of health, wellness, nutrition, parenting skills, financial security, mental health, child development, among other pertinent topics related to improving an individual's overall well-being. This was my main reason for choosing to relocate out of state for shelter. I decided that it would be advantageous for me to relocate out of state as I was eager to find support, and to grow as a person, and most importantly, as a mother. However, during my stay, neither the program's topics of conversations nor the mandatory groups addressed such topics.
Instead, the program’s main focus seemed to be on enforcing compliance with chores to maintain an individual's stay. The program's approach definitely felt more punitive, rather than therapeutic or supportive. The program was rooted in enforcing regulations rather than empowering mothers. The engagement was driven by repercussions, not genuine empowerment. I witnessed exhausted pregnant women being written up for not completing chores that, in my opinion, were unreasonable tasks—especially for those in such vulnerable conditions. In fact, after still being asked despite advocating on behalf of my health, I was once hospitalized, risking pre mature labor at eight months pregnant. This happened after being told to clean/scrub old spills under the glass of the bottom of a fridge left by another resident.
The structure of the program did not seem designed with pregnant or postpartum women in mind. Grace and empathy were rarely offered; challenges were often dismissed as “excuses” to not complete chores or attend groups. The program director would remind residents that she “had a home to go to” while criticizing pregnant women for not completing chores on time. The director would also remind us that many women were willing and waiting to comply with program regulations to take our place in the program.
The website stated, " WE’RE MUCH MORE THAN A SHELTER: Malta House provides a home and loving support system for those who are struggling with an unplanned pregnancy or who are new mothers of an infant or young baby. We offer homeless pregnant women and their children a family setting where they can grow emotionally, physically, and spiritually..." If I could describe the program based on my experience, I'd say Malta House is a transitional housing for women willing to do chores, attend (unstructured/uninformative) groups, and adhere to a curfew in order to maintain their stay.
Unfortunately, the environment did not provide me with a "loving support system". Nurturing and supportive are words that I would not choose to describe the environment in which I resided in. There was a case manager (initials T.H.) who I felt genuinely cared about the women. However, the overall tone of the program did not cultivate a culture of empowerment in a supportive environment.
Although I needed shelter, I had to leave Malta House as the environment was not conducive to my mental or physical health during my high risk pregnancy. I decided to leave and find a shelter even if it did not offer the supportive environment I initially sought after as I had failed to receive it anyway.
I believe the purpose and mission of Malta House is beautiful in spirit. I truly hope someone will step in to bring meaningful changes to how the program is run and how the women are supported. My intention is not to discourage donations or support—on the contrary, the mothers there need resources, advocacy, and compassionate care more than ever.
