Inside the People of Hope Museum, Connor Hartigan stood stoically, arms crossed over his chest, as he listened to a story detailing the trials and tribulations of a man reentering society after prison. Hartigan, a practicing Catholic in the Archdiocese of Washington and a graduate student at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, braved the dreariness of cold May showers blanketing the nation’s capital to tour the museum on its final day in Washington, D.C
“I was reflecting with a friend the other day that especially here in this city of Washington, D.C., we need people of hope,” Hartigan said. “You know, I am one of those people who occasionally doomscrolls and marinates in all the bad news…. And I was really taken by this idea of a museum that simultaneously spotlights what people are doing to fix it.”
The free museum, housed in a 53-foot semi-tractor trailer, is digitally outfitted with interactive screens that tell both the macro and micro stories of service from nationwide Catholic Charities agency staff and volunteers’ encounters with families and individuals in need. One exhibit allows visitors to interact with a data map of the United States, where they can learn each state’s homelessness rate, average medical and credit debt load, and other indicators of poverty.
Another exhibit welcomes visitors into the world of Catholic Charities, where they listen to workers from across the country recall the importance of their work: finding a new home for a victim of domestic abuse, helping a refugee adjust to life in America, and feeding those in need.
Among the 42 video testimonies featured are stories from Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington. As the local agency that provides holistic, wraparound social services in Washington, D.C., and neighboring Maryland counties, Catholic Charities DC is part of the Catholic Charities network. Each year, the network serves more than 16 million people facing hardship nationwide, regardless of faith or background.
“We are in the middle of an empathy crisis,” said Tiarra Rush, digital community manager at Catholic Charities USA. “Regardless of where you come from or who you are, everybody matters, every story matters, and that’s what this museum is all about.”
In the D.C. region alone, Catholic Charities DC served more than 140,000 individuals in the past year, distributing over 3.5 million meals, providing housing and shelter to more than 4,800 unhoused residents, and offering healthcare to more than 5,500 people across the District and neighboring Maryland counties.
While Catholic Charities DC hosted the People of Hope Museum on the National Mall on Friday, May 22, 2026, its mission will not remain there. As part of the Lilly Endowment grant, the People of Hope Museum began its three-year journey across the United States in March 2026 and will end up visiting 150 communities to promote empathy and inspire visitors to serve their neighbors in need.
“You know, one of the core insights I’ve gotten from the faith is that every single person is made in the image and likeness of God, and what you do to your brother or sister in need, whom you encounter, is what you do to Jesus. Matthew 25:40, right?” Hartigan said as he left the museum. “I’ve always found that to be one of the most foundational tasks of Christian ministry, because ultimately helping others is how we glorify God.”
About the People of Hope Museum
In 2024, Catholic Charities USA received a grant of nearly $5 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. through an invitational round of its National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life. From that grant, the People of Hope Museum was born. The project aims to engage in immersive storytelling that shares stories of neighbors helping neighbors.
Visit PeopleofHope.US to find a tour stop near you and learn more about the traveling, mobile museum.