$WMK

VINES, a Binghamton-based organization, has received a $200,000 grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to combat a food desert created by a Weis grocery store closure. The funding will support existing community gardens, create two new ones—one specifically targeting the South Side East section of Binghamton—and expand their educational workshops. VINES aims to improve access to fresh produce and provide resources like free soil testing in underserved neighborhoods.