People of Hope Museum

Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) launched People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a national storytelling initiative centered around a traveling, tractor trailer–sized museum. The museum will tour communities across the United States, including a stop in Vermont hosted by Vermont Catholic Charities on April 28–29 at Saint Michael’s College.

The museum will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day. As part of the event, Bishop John McDermott will celebrate Mass at Saint Michael the Archangel Chapel at 4:00 p.m. on April 28.

The purpose of this initiative is simple and deeply aligned with our shared values across faith traditions: to live and lead with compassion, inspire service and volunteerism, and witness the hope found in caring for our neighbors.

This immersive experience features:

• First-person video stories from Catholic Charities staff and volunteers across the country
• Interactive poverty-simulation activities that highlight challenges faced by many families
• U.S. and state-level poverty data visualizations
• Audio recordings exploring themes of poverty, social isolation, and bridge-building
• A recording booth where visitors can share their own stories of hope and service