Kinston Teens is working alongside our neighbors and partners to create a vibrant and resilient community hub that empowers East Kinston residents, fosters youth leadership, and enhances the quality of life for all.
Our commitment to the community led us to envision and create the Neighborhood Hub project—a dynamic initiative designed to uplift and serve our beloved East Kinston neighborhood.
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.
Our Organization
Kinston Teens is a youth-led nonprofit organization on a mission to empower young people through service, leadership, and civic engagement. Since our founding in 2014, we've been at the forefront of creating positive change in our community, responding to crises like hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, focusing on long-term recovery and resilience. Through initiatives that address food insecurity, youth empowerment, civic engagement, and community development, we're building a brighter future for East Kinston. Join us in our journey of transformation!
The Neighborhood Hub
The Neighborhood Hub is currently a small home that Kinston Teens acquired in 2018, and has worked to renovate into a transformative space for community-building and youth development. We are working to build a new and larger Neighborhood Hub in East Kinston that will serve as a community resilience center during times of crisis and all year long.
The Neighborhood
East Kinston, an area just east of downtown and the focus of this project, has had more difficulty recovering in comparison to other areas of our city. East Kinston was hit hardest by recent hurricanes and struggles to regain its footing as we grapple with issues related to concentrated poverty and crime. This area, one of the main gateways into the city and downtown, could be characterized as dilapidated residences, abandoned structures, outdated and dense public housing, and poorly-maintained vacant lots. The neighborhood is also dramatically underserved by commercial enterprises, resulting in scarce employment opportunities and limited access to goods and services for local residents. We see our neighborhood as a place of hope and potential.