Help Expand Outdoor Education Across the Midwest!
Thanks to generous donations and dedicated fundraising, we were able to expand our site from 2 to 50 acres in August 2023!
The second phase of our expansion was building a much-needed parking lot to accommodate our growing community. Now, we’re entering the third—and perhaps most important—phase: constructing our nature center.
Our new 5,000-square-foot building will be a game changer. It will include:
Restrooms with running water
A safe, heated shelter for students during extreme weather
A large gathering space for events
Office space and much-needed storage
This nature center will allow us to serve students more safely and effectively in all seasons. It will also open the door for:
More family events
Teacher training opportunities
Expanded programming
Sharing the Forest School model with more communities across the Midwest
But we still need your help to make it happen!
Every donation brings us one step closer to realizing this dream. Thank you for being part of the Free Haven journey!
Blazing the trail toward a better education.
As one of the only fully outdoors educational programs in the state, Free Haven is blazing the trail for forest school methodology to be adopted by legislators and teachers in Illinois.
Donate Now!
Looking for something a little different? Join the Clubhouse!
Our mission is to create a nature-based learning environment where children can explore their innate quest for knowledge through the wonder and magic of the outdoors.
