A Place of Hope for Struggling Moms and Babies
NORWALK — Michael O’Rourke and his wife AC had just come back from a trip to Lourdes, and after 17 years of being childless, she conceived. A year later, they were in church, and their son Conor was sitting on Michael’s lap, when he got the inspiration for Malta House.
“A woman got up and started speaking about all these women who are pregnant and don’t know what to do,” O’Rourke recalled. “I hit my wife with an elbow and said, ‘After what God has given us, if we don’t help this woman, we’re out of our minds.’ It was a confluence of inspiration and grace, where all of a sudden it just hit us that there was something bigger than us that was more important.”
Malta House opened in 1998 — the only home in Fairfield County dedicated to serving pregnant and parenting mothers experiencing homelessness. Since its founding, it has grown into a transformative ministry and provided shelter, support, life skills, and hope to more than 900 vulnerable mothers and their babies, says O’Rourke, Malta House board chair.
The annual gala in May at Woodway Country Club was one of the most successful in the organization’s history, surpassing its goal by raising $400,000, which will help provide critical support for mothers and babies in need.
The gala honored Robert J. Granata, who served First County Bank for almost 20 years, most recently as chairman and CEO. O’Rourke praised him for his commitment to Malta House and the people who sustain the local community through the First County Bank Foundation.
One of the evening’s most moving moments, O’Rourke says, came when former Malta House mom Loonèy Chery shared her story of transformation and received a standing ovation from the audience.
“When I arrived at Malta House in 2019, pregnant and uncertain about my future, I found more than a place to live,” said Chery. “I found structure, support, encouragement, and the space to begin rebuilding my life. Malta House helped me believe that a brighter future for my baby and me was possible.”
Since leaving Malta House, Chery has earned an associate’s degree and graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. She is currently pursuing a master’s in Student Affairs Administration and Leadership while helping students and families across Connecticut navigate college planning, financial aid, and educational opportunities.
Chery is also the founder of The College Access Collaborative of Connecticut, an organization dedicated to supporting first-generation, low-income, multilingual college students from underserved communities to pursue higher education.
“We continue to cheer Loonèy on as she creates a brighter future for her children while lifting up others in her community,” said Malta House Executive Director Pamela Shilling. “Her story reflects the resilience, determination, and hope that are possible when women are given the support and stability they need. She reminds other young mothers that their circumstances do not define their future.”
In an interview, O’Rourke fondly remembered the early years when Malta House was in the planning stages, and they met every Wednesday for pizza.
The co-founders included Hope Carter, an ardent supporter who presented the idea to then-Bishop Edward Egan, the late Father Gerald Devore of St. Maurice Parish in Stamford, the late Monsignor William Scheyd, who provided the first home for Malta House at his parish’s convent building in Norwalk, and Christopher Bell, who ran the operation.
“Gradually, bit by bit, we started raising money and opened in 1998, and since then we’ve helped over 900 moms and their babies, so it’s really quite remarkable,” O’Rourke said.
In Fairfield County, almost 30 percent of births are to single mothers. Many pregnant or parenting women between 18-24 are homeless with nowhere to turn, making up 30 percent of the unhoused population.
Malta House in Norwalk is one of the only homes for pregnant women above 18 in Fairfield County, and one of a limited number of programs for young homeless mothers and their babies.
Mothers receive counseling, financial education, and parental development, followed by transitional and post-residential support. O’Rourke said Malta House affirms the inherent dignity of every mother and child and embraces the Church’s call to uphold the sanctity of life, strengthen families, and accompany those most vulnerable. For more information: https://www.maltahouse.org/
