Bernadette Wainwright: Quiet Leader, Noble Impact

Bernadette Wainwright

Quiet Leader, Noble Impact

“I think what happens in our childhood influences us throughout our lives.”

For Bernadette Wainwright, contracting polio as a child had life-long consequences, but also helped foster a deep appreciation for the many agencies and organizations that work to make lives better.

“I was grateful to have been born into a family that had access to the resources needed to help me,” Bernadette recalls. “I wanted to do what I could to ensure others had that same access, regardless of their circumstances.”

This perspective, along with other factors, inspired Bernadette to begin a career in social work. It was through this career that Bernadette met her husband Paul. An investment advisor, Paul also had a strong belief in giving back to his community.

“Paul was motivated to grow his investments by what the money could do for other people, people less fortunate than himself,” remembers Bernadette. “The two passions, finance and philanthropy, became intertwined.”

Paul’s big heart and financial acumen eventually led to the couple starting a fund at LCF in 2011 - The Paul and Bernadette Wainwright Family Fund.

“It was his idea to start a fund,” says Bernadette. “I realized how much sense it made the more I learned. My money can only go so far, but pooled with everybody else’s, the impact it can have on the community is huge.”

Their fund has since granted to a variety of organizations, including CMHA Middlesex, March of Dimes Canada and Mission Services of London.

“I remember the first thank you letter I received from March of Dimes. It was from a person who needed a personal support worker to help them bathe,” says Bernadette. “My small donation helped provide a bath bench for them, so they’d no longer need assistance. It felt really good knowing that I helped restore this person’s independence.”

Throughout her career, Bernadette served many clients whose needs were often ineligible for funding. When Bernadette began directing their fund in 2016, after Paul’s passing, her experiences continued to influence her granting.

It was during a weekend visit to the pharmacy that she noticed My Sister’s Place had set up a fundraising table.

“I had seen them pop-up in the news because they were at risk of shutting down if they couldn’t get more funding,” recalls Bernadette. “Here they are, out on a Saturday morning, fundraising to keep their place open. I wanted to do what I could to help.”

Bernadette made a donation to the organization and included My Sister’s Place in her granting portfolio, a testament to her quiet, thoughtful leadership and ceaseless dedication to her community. Although now retired from social work, Bernadette has never stopped giving back and continues to live by the values that were instilled in her early on and solidified through her career.

“You don't need to be rich to get started. Our fund isn’t big, but I can see the impact that it's having now and will continue to have in the future.”

– Bernadette Wainwright

The Power of Endowment: Giving to an endowment fund at LCF is making an investment for today and tomorrow. Gifts are invested and their earnings granted to the community.