State Senator Don Harmon is pleased to announce that Secretary of State Jesse White's office has renewed the Elmwood Park Library's Project Next Generation program by providing the library with a $12,500 grant.

Project Next Generation was launched in 2000 to help connect students who have limited access to computers with the latest technology.

"Computers are such a common part of our society that we sometimes forget that there are families who simply can't afford them," Harmon said. "This program helps ensure that all children – regardless of their families' incomes – have the computer skills they need to succeed in college or the working world."

Over the past 14 years, Project Next Generation has partnered more than 6,600 students with 600 volunteer mentors. It has put up-to-date technology in the hands of children from underserved communities and helped them develop their technological and interpersonal skills.

Elmwood Park Library has been a part of the program since the very beginning. For more information on Project Next Generation, visit its website.

For more information on the Elmwood Park Library, visit its website or its Project Next Generation blog.