Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York welcomed the mobile People of Hope Museum Thursday, March 26, near Union Square in Manhattan. The tractor-trailer-sized traveling museum will tour under the sponsorship of Catholic Charities USA.
With its welcome in New York on Thursday, “People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors” began a three-year journey across the United States.
Produced by Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), the People of Hope Museum will ultimately visit more than 150 communities to promote empathy and inspire visitors to find ways to serve those in need in their local areas. The initiative 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.
The power of Christian service
The museum is a nationwide storytelling initiative from CCUSA “highlighting the impact of neighbors helping neighbors, and celebrating the power of Christian service,” organizers said. Locally, Catholic Charities of New York is co-sponsoring the People of Hope Museum with CCUSA, along with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Brooklyn.
The People of Hope Museum was parked Thursday in an area near Union Square at 881 Broadway, between 17th and 18th streets, where there was a 10 a.m. opening ceremony and ribbon cutting in front of three dozen Catholic Charities staff and affiliates, and journalists. About an hour later, the museum was open to the public until 6 p.m. Organizers said they planned to open it to the public again today, March 27, from 12 noon to 6 p.m.
“We’re here to tell the stories of many, many employees of Catholic Charities throughout the country – hundreds of Catholic Charities (chapters), thousands of employees, who day in and day out, they take care of the people who need it the most,” J. Antonio Fernandez, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, said during the opening ceremony. “Thank you for coming today as we celebrate this wonderful museum. Thank you, and God bless you.”
Representing Catholic Charities USA was Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO, who said the mobile museum venture “is a testament to mercy, service, hope, compassion, and faith. And it is a special honor that we are here in New York City, and that it is co-hosted by Catholic Charities (of the) Archdiocese of New York, and Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens.” CCUSA is based in Alexandria, Virginia.
Father Patrick J. Keating, deputy CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Brooklyn, offered a prayer of blessing for the museum, the people who enter it, and for “the human family.” Jamar Carr, a substance abuse counselor with the Brooklyn diocese, was given the honor of cutting the ribbon.
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 the brief videos, the storytellers share first-person accounts of what it means to serve someone in need in their darkest moment.
Multimedia exhibits that promote greater empathy
Beyond these stories, the museum contains an interactive poverty simulation of stepping into another person’s life, making difficult choices and experiencing the realities of living on the margins.
Visitors can also peruse a learning library featuring curated 2- to 4-minute audio segments from prominent books on poverty, social isolation, bridgebuilding, and community action, including by authors Matthew Desmond, Arthur Brooks, and Robert Putnam. National and state data illustrate the scope of need and the vital role of social services organizations across the country, and a recording room allows attendees to share their own stories of hope and service.
Thomas Galfo, 44, and his wife, Hazel Yaptangco, were among members of the public who entered the mobile museum Thursday morning to view and listen to what the museum had to offer. They are parishioners of St. Simon the Apostle R.C. Church, Green Pond, NJ.
“We heard about this through social media, and we wanted to take the trip into the city to see it firsthand. It’s absolutely amazing, from the second that you walk up to the trailer, and walking through the trailer with all the details. They did an excellent job,” Galfo told The Good Newsroom inside the museum.
Yaptangco said, “Wow, there are many real stories here, of people struggling every day. This really spells it out, what is going on in their lives. It’s great to see an organization bringing awareness to that, and showing ways that you can take action.”