The People of Hope Museum stopped last week at the Catholic Media Conference, the annual convening that brings together hundreds of Catholic journalists, communicators and media professionals from across the country. Organized by the Catholic Media Association, this year’s conference was co-hosted by the Diocese of Camden and held in Atlantic City, NJ.
During the conference’s final two days, attendees had the opportunity to explore the People of Hope Museum and be moved by its compelling stories of Christian service. Many in attendance expressed interest in having the museum, which is touring the country for three years promoting empathy and volunteerism, visit their dioceses and communities.
Housed in a digitally outfitted semi-truck, the People of Hope Museum features 42 original, authentic video stories told by Catholic Charities staff and volunteers from agencies around the country. In these brief, powerful videos, the storytellers share moving first-person accounts of what it means to serve someone in need in their darkest moment.
Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) president and CEO Kerry Alys Robinson also served as a keynote speaker at the conference. During her remarks, she explained why the museum’s focus on stories of service from the Catholic Charities network is so appropriate and effective.
“The volunteers and staff of Catholic Charities agencies deserve this recognition and spotlight. They devote their lives to following the Gospel call to love and serve their neighbors. They work tirelessly to provide comfort and hope to the most vulnerable. They are moral heroes,” Robinson said. “It is our sincere hope that visitors to the museum will be inspired by their example and go out and do likewise.”
The People of Hope Museum is made possible thanks to a 2024 grant of nearly $5 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. through an invitational round of its National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life. To learn more about the museum and to sign up to receive alerts about when it will be near you, visit PeopleofHope.US. To join the hundreds of thousands of people across the United States who serve their neighbors in need as volunteers every year, find your local Catholic Charities agency today.
About Catholic Charities USA
Founded in 1910, CCUSA is a national membership organization that supports and represents 169 Catholic Charities agencies across the United States and in five territories. Collectively, the Catholic Charities network each year serves more than 16 million vulnerable people, regardless of their faith or background, through food and nutrition programs, affordable housing, disaster relief and a variety of other humanitarian services.