Shelter for pregnant homeless women: Mater Maria
PLANO - "I got here when I was six months pregnant," said Angeles Noriega.
Noriega and 10-month-old Elian Daniel are about to set out on their own. Her life is stable enough now. She's making room for the others here: Other young women expecting babies but have no place to care for them.
This east Plano house is known as Mater Maria. It is a designated, dedicated living space for homeless pregnant women.
For the past seven years, young expecting mothers-to-be struggling to find housing or leaving unsafe homes found the path to Mater Maria.
Marthalicia Burkle started the housing for pregnant women campaign.
"At the beginning, I was thinking of a shelter, but we really want them to change their lives," said Burkle. "We don't want them to be alone anymore."
"If places like this didn't exist, there are kids who could suffer without being at fault, you know," said Keila Rubido, a Mater Maria resident
Some had their babies while staying at Mater Maria, and others were weeks or months from delivery. All previously had no place to live- until now.
There are two homes for the moms. Both are operated now in partnership with Catholic Charities.
"It is a hidden problem," said Dave Woodyard, with Catholic Charities Dallas. "A lot of the homeless we see them on the street, but there's so many we don't see. And this is one of those groups, luckily because there are homes like this."
The moms have less than a year here with their children. Many are able to build and grow their lives because they have a home for themselves and their children.
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