Jim Havens is an advocate of protecting farmland and community green space. As part of his public service duties, he was involved in the development of Granville’s open space program after Granville Township became the first in Ohio to approve an Open Space acquisition program.
Philanthropy
Devoting time and resources to various community endeavors and nonprofit organizations is important to Jim Havens and the associates of Havens Limited. The following are some of the community-wide projects that have benefited from their involvement.
Emphasizing Nonprofits
Jim Havens was a member of the Capital University Board of Trustees where he chaired the Real Estate Task Force.
Preserving Wetlands
Jim Havens and his partners worked with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and various other funding organizations to create and protect 1,180 acres of wetlands near Marion, Ohio. This project is surrounded by the ODNR’s Big Island Wildlife Area.
Nonprofit Independence
The Serenity Street Foundation was formed to provide housing, support services, employment and training for men who are in recovery. As a founding board member in 1996, Jim Havens assisted founders with creating a sustainable business plan.
Creating a Park
When Jim Havens chaired the Granville Township Trustees, he helped obtain a $100,000 NatureWorks grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. This resulted in the creation of the Raccoon Valley Park on 40 acres of land that had been acquired by the trustees a few years earlier. The park now includes four baseball and two soccer fields for community use.
Educating Youth
The Granville Education Foundation was formed to enrich programs and instruction by collecting charitable contributions that benefit the public schools in Granville. As a founding trustee for the group, Jim Havens helped lay the groundwork that has allowed the foundation to contribute thousands of dollars in grants to educators who teach within the school district.
