BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – A local community garden is being dedicated to a couple that combated hunger across Binghamton’s south side for decades.

VINES has renamed its first garden from 2007 to the memory of Moses and Lucille Cunningham. During a ceremony today, those who knew the Cunninghams shared stories of the significant impact the couple had on their community.

The Cunninghams operated both the Binghamton Outreach Center and the Church of God and Saints of Christ Twenty-Second Tabernacle, feeding the hungry and hosting an annual Thanksgiving meal.

Moses Cunningham Jr. says the motives behind his parents’ work came from scripture.

“The school was having Thanksgiving. ‘They’re taking our Thanksgiving away from us!’ I said no, you’ve got to look at what Jesus said. You know? You’ve got to go to the community to show them how they should live. That’s what our job is, as Hebrews, was to go out into the world and show the world how they should live,” said Cunningham.

VINES will further honor the Cunninghams come spring, with the addition of a plaque detailing their life’s work.