Volunteers Improving Neighborhood Environments (VINES) is dedicated to building a sustainable and equitable community food system. By bringing together diverse groups, with a focus on youth development, VINES establishes community gardens, urban agriculture projects, and green spaces. These programs revitalize urban areas and empower people of all ages and abilities.
VINES embodies its mission through the motto: growing food, growing community. It connects urban residents with rural farmers and helps individuals transform their lives through urban gardening. Founded in 2007 as a volunteer-driven effort to build community gardens, VINES rapidly expanded to meet the growing demand for urban gardening spaces, garden-based education, and access to local food.
The Grow Binghamton youth program is one of VINES’ standout initiatives, offering meaningful employment to youth aged 14–21. Participants gain essential life and job skills while contributing to greater food security for Binghamton residents. The program integrates STEM topics like composting, soil health, engineering, entomology, and green infrastructure, alongside broader lessons on community building, food policy, and comparing conventional and organic food systems. Youth also receive training in financial literacy, interview preparation, and resume writing.
“At VINES, we believe sustainability starts locally. Through our gardens, youth employment programs, and workshops, we empower individuals to create meaningful change that begins with them and radiates outward,” said Evelyn Hale, Operations Director at VINES.
VINES is working to broaden its programs within and beyond Binghamton’s urban core.
Contact Information:
Evelyn Hale, Operations Director (evelyn@vinesgardens.org)
Website: https://vinesgardens.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vinesgardens/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vinesgardens
