The DeKalb County Community Foundation is thrilled to announce the Michael and Lana Haines Family Fund. This Donor Advised Fund will align with their charitable interests, including but not limited to, protecting the land, air, and water for today and the future, organic, sustainable gardening and farming, increasing food and health care, and more.
Michael and Lana Haines attended and met at NIU. They married in 1970 and lived in DeKalb for several years before moving to a 5-acre. Over the years, it grew to expand its gardening efforts, raise animals such as dairy goats, chickens, and turkeys, and purchased ten wooden acres near the Kishwaukee River. They eventually built a passive solar home and remain there today.
While Michael graduated with a master’s degree in mental health eventually became executive director of the National Social Norm Resource Center, Lana worked in education and established the Kingston Sharing Library. All the books received were donated or purchased with small grants or donations.
When the couple moved to Kingston, Michael purchased some property near their home and developed a tallgrass prairie and wetland. The entire 63 acres were sold to the DeKalb Forest Preserve and will become part of the Haines Creek Conservation Corridor.
The Haines remains a community focus family. The couple has volunteered and served as committee and board members of Voluntary Action Center, DeKalb County Nursing Home Foundation, the DeKalb County Community Foundation, Hand in Hand Community Project, Kishwaukee Valley Heritage Society, and the DeKalb County Community Gardens. They remain volunteer referees for the Genoa-Kingston-Kirkland American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO).
The Haines created the fund to ensure values of generosity within their children and grandchildren. “We want to continue and encourage philanthropy within our family for years to come. The most exciting part of the fund is that we’ll do this together.”
Donations to any fund at the Community Foundation, including the Michael and Lana Haines Family Fund, can be made online at dekalbccf.org/donate or by mail to the DeKalb County Community Foundation, 475 DeKalb Avenue, Sycamore, IL 60178. For questions or to get started creating your charitable Fund, please contact Dan Templin at 815-748-5383 or dan@dekalbccf.org.
Written by Claudia Piwowarczyk
Click Here To Submit A News Tip Or Story