Traveling museum visiting Chattanooga, Knoxville to share stories of Catholic Charities
The East Tennessee Catholic
A traveling museum that shares the stories of people who help and are helped by Catholic Charities will be visiting the Diocese of Knoxville in early August, with stops scheduled in Chattanooga and Knoxville.
Catholic Charities of East Tennessee is hosting the national storytelling initiative on 18 wheels.
“We are pleased to share this exciting opportunity with all those in East Tennessee who have felt the impact of Catholic Charities or want to know more about what Catholic Charities does in the communities it serves,” said Jasmine Ball, marketing and events coordinator for Catholic Charities of East Tennessee.
In March, 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 interior of the People of Hope Museum is seen. The tractor-trailer-sized traveling museum is touring the country highlighting “the impact of neighbors helping neighbors, and celebrating the power of Christian service,” according to Catholic Charities organizers. (OSV News photo)
Over the next two-and-a-half years, the museum will tour the United States, including a stop on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 7- 8, in Knoxville and a stop in Chattanooga Monday, Aug. 10, through Wednesday, Aug. 12.
The People of Hope Museum is a free exhibit.
CCUSA is the national membership office for Catholic Charities agencies around the country. People of Hope is made possible with support from Lilly Endowment Inc.
“Its purpose is simple and deeply aligned with our shared mission: to live and lead with compassion toward our neighbors, inspire service and volunteering, and witness the hope found in the lives of those we serve,” Ms. Ball said.
The immersive museum experience features:
- First-person video stories from Catholic Charities staff and volunteers across the country about clients who impacted them deeply;
- Interactive poverty-simulation activities that help visitors understand the challenges many families living in poverty face;
- U.S. and state-level poverty data visualizations that offer insight into local and national needs;
- Audio recordings of book excerpts about poverty, social isolation, and bridge-building;
- A recording booth where visitors can share their own stories of hope, service, and compassion.
Catholic Charities of East Tennessee is inviting East Tennesseans to encounter its and Catholic Charities USA’s combined mission in action and the powerful stories of faith, dignity, and hope.
The People of Hope Museum will be at World’s Fair Park in Knoxville from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8 and at Miller Park in Chattanooga from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 11-12.
Bishop Mark Beckman will be on hand at the museum on Aug. 7.