Providing help and creating hope in Maine
Traveling Museum Highlights Impact of Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Portland, ME -- Catholic Charities Maine is joining Catholic Charities agencies across the United States to host People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a nationwide storytelling mobile museum designed to amplify the profound impact of Christian service.
Catholic Charities Maine will host the People of Hope Museum on April 24 (11a.m. – 6p.m.) and April 25 (10a.m. – 4p.m.). The museum will be located at Catholic Charities Maine’s Central Administrative Office parking lot at 307 Congress Street in Portland. Museum admission is free and open to the public.
Housed in a retrofitted tractor-trailer, the People of Hope Museum is an immersive experience that brings to life more than 40 professionally produced video stories featuring staff and volunteers of Catholic Charities agencies across the country sharing their meaningful, memorable encounters with families and individuals in need.
The museum also includes a recording studio where visitors can share their own stories of hope and service. In addition, visitors can experience an interactive poverty simulator, gain a greater understanding of poverty in Maine and across the United States and listen to recordings of book excerpts about poverty, social isolation, bridgebuilding and community action.
Kirsten Connelly, Catholic Charities Maine’s Director of Education Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Children, has a featured video in the national exhibit sharing her own story of hope.
The People of Hope Museum is an initiative of Catholic Charities USA, the national membership organization for 168 independent Catholic Charities agencies around the country. Collectively, last year, the Catholic Charities network of agencies served more than 16 million people regardless of faith, addressing needs ranging from food insecurity and housing to disaster assistance, health care, and family support.
“We are excited to welcome the People of Hope mobile museum to Maine to be able to share these powerful stories and inspire attendees to be a beacon of hope for others in our community,” says Steve Letourneau, CEO of Catholic Charities Maine.
For 60 years, Catholic Charities Maine has supported individuals and families across the state, offering compassionate care through statewide programs, providing behavioral and mental health services for adults and children, substance use disorder treatment and recovery, strengthening and growing services for Maine’s aging population, providing affordable dental and orthodontic care, supporting New Mainers in integrating into local communities, creating program models for emergency assistance services, and addressing hunger/food security issues, among other services.
This spirit of accompaniment is reflected in the work of Catholic Charities agencies nationwide, which include 168 independent agencies and 3,900 service locations across the United States and five territories. Though the services offered by each local agency differ, Catholic Charities agencies are united by a shared commitment to honor the dignity of every person and answer the Gospel call to come to the aid of those most in need.
The People of Hope Museum launched its tour of the United States in March and will travel the U.S. for two-and-a-half years. 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.
To learn more about the People of Hope Museum, visit www.peopleofhope.us. To explore volunteer opportunities or learn more about Catholic Charities Maine programs, visit www.ccmaine.org.
Catholic Charities Maine is one of the largest and most diverse human service agencies in the State. Since 1966, it has provided leadership programand services to reduce poverty, support families, and advocate for justice in social structures. Empowering and strengthening individuals and families of all faiths, CCM serves more than 22,500 annually. More information is available at www.ccmaine.org
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