What are we working on?

We are currently working with neighborhood residents, nonprofit partners, and local business stakeholders to create a site and facility framework plan for a larger Neighborhood Hub facility that is more responsive to the growing 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.

In addition to creating a site and facility framework plan for the Neighborhood Hub, we are also working on the Kinston Teens Equitable Development Plan—a document that would offer a “bridge” between our framework plan and its implementation. This additional plan would offer phased strategies for site development at the Neighborhood Hub, program implementation, partnerships, fundraising, and revenue generation. Particularly, this plan would identify ways to strengthen our organization’s ongoing efforts to build community and boost social, economic, and environmental resilience in Kinston.

This vision will grow from:

• Community feedback and stories.

• An understanding of historical community development, including beloved assets and places in East Kinston, as well as structural and environmental inequities.

• Facilitated conversations with Kinston Teens staff, volunteers, community partners, and neighborhood stakeholders.

While this plan will focus on actionable strategies for Kinston Teens, it will also point out ‘big moves’ or opportunities that promote the community-driven vision for East Kinston while requiring leadership from other public or private entities.

We have secured the services of Design Workshop’s Raleigh studio to serve as our project manager for this plan.