East Kinston Neighborhood Hub

Kinston Teens has been working since 2018 to create the Neighborhood Hub--a place for youth-led and neighborhood-focused initiatives, with resources, activities and community spaces by and for the residents of East Kinston. The Neighborhood Hub is more than just a physical space; it's a vibrant hub of community activity, empowerment, and hope. It's a place where youth, families, and neighbors come together to learn, grow, and create a brighter future. We’re excited to lead a planning process to work with our community to chart the future of the Neighborhood Hub site, and opportunities for equitable development in East Kinston. We are currently working with the Raleigh-based architecture studio Design Workshop to create a site and facility framework plan for a larger facility that is more responsive to the needs of our organization and community. Our vision for this space is for it to be one that is multi-functional—with the ability to hold large meetings and gatherings, to be used as a staging area for emergency relief and response efforts, to be renewable and sustainable, and to have a solar microgrid to collect and store energy to keep the facility (and our programs) operational in the event of a disaster or power outage.