The Laurel County African-American Heritage Center works to preserve and honor the lives of African Americans in Laurel County. The Center is housed in an old church that was about to be condemned; it was saved by Wayne Riley and community members. After the church was saved, community gardens were installed to encourage people to grow their own food. The community garden at the Center today has multiple high tunnels and a solar-powered gravity fed irrigation system in production. The Center is also working on its commercial kitchen.