SAVE THE DATE! Catholic Charities of Southwest Louisiana will host People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a nationwide, traveling storytelling museum designed to amplify the profound impact of Christian service on Monday, October 19 and Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at the Lake Charles Event Center.
Housed in a retrofitted tractor-trailer, the People of Hope Museum is an immersive experience that will tour the United States over the next two-and-a-half years. Produced by Catholic Charities USA, and made possible by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., the museum seeks to inspire visitors to engage in their local communities; deepen their understanding of the awe of encountering others at their most vulnerable; and experience the transformation that occurs when we live out our faith through service.
The museum will feature:
- Powerful, professionally recorded stories from Catholic Charities staff and volunteers, each reflecting on a service encounter that deeply impacted them
- State-level poverty data visualizations
- An interactive poverty simulation experience
- Recordings of book excerpts about poverty, social isolation, bridgebuilding and community action
- A recording studio where visitors can share their own stories of hope and service
This event will be free and open to the public. Click the link for more information: https://peopleofhope.us/about/
