Volunteer Spotlight: Sr. Bernadette Wanza

Meet Sr. Bernadette

Matching a mission of service and love of community, Sr. Bernadette Wanza (Sr. B for short) brings her skills and spirit to Maxwell Street Community Garden as a Community Volunteer.

Sr. Bernadette of the Little Sisters of St. Francis came to Chicago in April of 2025 on assignment at St. Ignatius College Prep. She is Catholic and from the Diocese of Wote in Kenya, which was created in 2023. Her Institute was founded in 1923 in Uganda by Mother Mary Kevin.

Outside of her duties at St. Ignatius College Prep, Sr. Bernadette also enjoys reading, gardening, and beadwork. If you ask her nicely, she may make you a friendship bracelet. She is known locally as someone always willing to lend a helping hand - even offering assistance to the Chicago Fire Department on occasion when they are on a call near her home.

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Introduction to Gardening

Sr. Bernadette is originally from Makueni County in southeastern Kenya, a farming area. Growing up in this setting shaped her gardening skills from a young age. When she was in sixth grade, she cleared an unattended patch of family land to grow cabbages and kale. Her first gardening season was a huge success. In fact, her crops flourished so well that her mother had the rest of the land prepared. The result was a plentiful harvest of potatoes, beans, and corn. Her early success in growing these crops is what first showed Sr. B that she has a green thumb.

Farming to Urban Gardening

This green thumb she developed in her youth followed Sr. B into city living here in Chicago, IL. Last year in July, while walking home from St. Ignatius, Sr. Bernadette and her roommate noticed people along Racine Street and turned in to see what was happening. They took a chance and entered the open garden gate. Inside they found the people in the garden welcoming and warm - offering a little honey and fellowship. She continues to come to the garden to both visit and volunteer on community work days. Just a few weeks ago, I was tending to my plot when Sr. Bernadette came to visit and casually lended a helping hand to me while I collected cherry tomatoes and peppers.

When asked what she enjoys about volunteering at MSCG, Sr. B talks about the friendship, shared smiles, and joy within the community. She also enjoys the opportunity to learn through others in the garden. For example, she recently learned that a certain type of rhizome flower needs its rhizomes exposed rather than covered to be productive.

Sr. B is a force to be reckoned with on a community work day. She tackles any gardening assignment with precision and determination. No weeds stand a chance! She also has a love and appreciation of the garden - admiring the flowers, berries, vegetables alike. Garden volunteers like Sr. B are invaluable to MSCG. From weeding on work days to helping with events, their service makes this community garden a special space.