Donate Now
St. Joseph Center is located at the corner of Greenfield Avenue and Layton Boulevard (27th Street) on Milwaukee’s south side, just two minutes from the Mitchell Park Domes. Enter the beer garden at 29th Street and Orchard Street (one block south of Greenfield Ave.)
First-come, first-served free parking is available in the Nativity Jesuit Academy lot at 29th Street and Orchard Street, across from our grounds. Street parking is available on Orchard Street, 29th Street, and around the neighborhood. Parking is also available at the Sacred Heart lot—enter at 28th Street at Lapham Street. (Please note guests cannot pass through St. Joseph Center to the grounds west of the building.)
There will be limited handicapped parking available in the St. Joseph Center / Chapel Garden Apartments lot - enter at 29th Street at Orchard.
Your first beverage purchase of $12 includes a commemorative pint glass with our Sister Water Beer Garden logo. Refills are $6. Beverage options include two special beers that Lakefront Brewing Company is crafting for the School Sisters of St. Francis!
We will also have root beer on tap, wine, and water available for purchase.
Food options available for purchase include
Plates include condiments, chips, and a pickle.
Here are just a few of the ways that thousands of the people served by our sisters around the world will benefit from the Sister Water Beer Garden fundraiser:
Generating solar power for a hostel in Mysore, India, that houses 35 hearing-impaired girls, ages 3-17
Repairing facilities to purify water shared with children attending a high school in Pullissery, India
Providing generators to maintain reliable electrical power at our convent is Usri, India
Building a boundary wall to protect agricultural land from predators in Madhya Pradesh, India
Digging a borewell for fresh water and planting trees in Dodomo, Tanzania
Installing a new solar panel system at Assisi Hospital in Kerala, India
Placing a solar power grid at our formation house in Songea, Tanzania
Guests are invited to try their skill and luck with bags (cornhole), giant Jenga, and Hammerschlagen (also known as “stump.”) There’s no cost to play, but donations will be gratefully accepted.
The sisters are delighted to welcome back Milwaukee’s Hot Off the Grill band as our musical guests for this summer’s beer garden!
They’ve played fairs and festivals all over the state—they’ve been called Door County’s unofficial favorite band—and they’ll be performing a blend of classic rock favorites with a dash of country. Whether you want to sit back and relax or get up and dance, Hot Off the Grill will provide the perfect soundtrack for your evening!
The School Sisters of St. Francis are, as our name implies, an international congregation of Catholic women religious who follow in the footsteps of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. We named our beer garden after “Sister Water,” from St. Francis’s “Canticle of the Creatures,” in recognition of how precious clean water is to all.
In the spirit of Francis’ and Clare’s emphasis on hospitality and care for the Earth, the proceeds from our beer garden will go to provide access to alternative clean energy, renewable bio-gas fuel, and pure water for people around the world who are served by our sisters’ ministries.
In addition to your attendance, please help spread the word about our summer fundraiser! And for information about sponsorship opportunities or to make a donation, contact Holly Danen at hdanen@sssf.org or 414-385-5343.
Tell your friends, bring your family, and enjoy a fun-filled evening in our beautiful garden on Milwaukee’s south side.