By CatholicPhilly Staff • Posted July 25, 2025

Every summer, Catholic Charities of Philadelphia’s Nutritional Development Services (NDS) hosts its Summer Meals Program to provide free, nutritious meals to children and youth during the summer months.  This year’s program was infused with a creative twist through its theme: “The Art of Hope,” inspired by the Universal Church’s observance of the Jubilee Year, Pilgrims of Hope.

Throughout the summer, NDS has been providing partnering sites with activity resources to help promote hope and “provide fun ways for the children to grow and be positive throughout the summer,” said David Stier, Assistant Director for Community Relations for NDS.

Among the most popular offerings was NDS’s annual art competition, which drew nearly 70 entries from across the five-county area. Children were invited to submit original pieces—either individual posters or collaborative murals—that expressed the theme of hope.

“This positive activity is taken up by the adult leaders, but put into action by the children,” said Stier. “The contest helps site leaders provide a positive focus for the children, and they create a sense of unity among the various sites in the five-county area.”

At Discover, Learn, and Grow summer camp in Bristol, site leader Ramona Jones said she immediately handed the project over to her older campers for full creative control.

For two weeks, captains aged nine to 12 led discussions about what hope means to them, researched relevant symbols, and oversaw the design process.

With children as young as two years old at the camp, Jones added that another important task for the captains was ensuring everyone contributed. After drafting a few different layouts, the final product included a field of sun flowers lining the bottom of the mural using the handprints of the younger campers. The key message of the mural was “hope for a great future and love for all.”

“I never imagined the growth, joy, and maturity that I have seen in my children, especially my captains, while completing this project,” said Jones. “It was a total student driven project.”

On July 21, the camp was named one of two winners in the group mural category. Camper Cruz also won best individual poster in the 9+ age group.

Winners of the group mural category included Discover, Learn, and Grow as well as the Southeast Delco Summer Enrichment Program. In the individual poster competition, ages 5–8, Zori from Southeast Delco and Savannah from Holy Redeemer were recognized. For ages 9 and up, Ivy from Holy Redeemer and Cruz from Discover, Learn, and Grow took home top honors.

While every winner will receive a gift card from NDS in recognition of their artwork, the ministry hopes the experience offers a meaningful takeaway that goes beyond the prize.

“We want the children to walk away with important life lessons that they can carry with them to their families, schools, and communities,” said Stier.

For Jones, the experience, “allowed us to use this as a focus for the week discussing how we can make the world a better place – thus hope for a better future.”