At Queens Library, we constantly seek opportunities for youth to learn, achieve, and serve our community. We realize that, when we focus attention on our young people, striving to ensure that they are a part of a greater whole, we make a strong investment not only in what happens today, but especially in the future.

     Thanks to the generous partnership of JPMorgan Chase Foundation and Vinford Mentar, Vice President for Community Relations at JPMorgan Chase and the newest member of Queens Library Foundation’s Board of Directors, many more Queens youth will get the educational help and job opportunities they need, starting today.

     As a resident of Queens, a Queens Library customer, and a father of two, Vinford Mentar knows how important Library programs and services are to children and teens. After visiting community libraries throughout the borough and seeing first-hand the number of youngsters in the libraries, and especially their energy and enthusiasm, Mentar advocated for and secured a grant of $150,000 in support of the Library’s Teen ’Net Mentor and BOOST (Best Out of School Time) Programs.

     The Teen ’Net Mentor Program employs young people at approximately 30 community libraries to provide the public with hands-on help using the Library’s public access computers. BOOST, Queens Library’s afterschool program at all 63 libraries, is a major destination for thousands of Queens youth every day from 3 to 6 p.m. Students ages 6 to 14 come to our local community libraries for homework help, engaging enrichment activities, and just plain fun.

     Investing in our youth today pays high dividends in the future. Corporate support is integral to our development of innovative programs and services at Queens Library, and we are grateful to both JPMorgan Chase Foundation and Vinford Mentar for making a sound investment in our young people.