Phil-Assist

Phil-Assist

Phil Chiappetta has lived in Winnipeg his entire life and wouldn’t have it any other way. For Phil, our city has the potential to be a beacon of hope and a leader in reconciliation, showing how community generosity can transform lives and neighborhoods.

Phil’s journey to establishing a fund with The Winnipeg Foundation didn’t begin with a windfall, it began with a realization; philanthropy isn’t only for the wealthy.

“I come from a modest background, and I used to think an endowment fund was for someone with a ton of money,” he recalls. “But then I saw how effective it could be, how things grow over time. I realized you just have to give at your level—do what you can do.”

After serving on The Winnipeg Foundation’s Grants Committee, he witnessed firsthand how every contribution, no matter the size, was a catalyst for positive change. “Every time I was in a meeting, I knew how important that money could be to kickstart a project and give an organization leverage,” he says. “One night I was watching a Jets game, and I thought to myself, ‘I want to be the guy who gives the assist!’ I can’t score the winning goal for Winnipeg, but I can help make it happen.”

Throughout his longstanding tenure as the executive director of Rossbrook House and his connection to numerous other non-profits, Phil saw how grassroots organizations relied on that first grant to gain traction. “Anybody who ever did a project knew the immense benefit of getting The Winnipeg Foundation’s support. It was a binding thing; it brought people together.”

“I Can’t Score the Winning Goal for Winnipeg, but I Can Help Make It Happen”

That spirit of unity has shaped not only his philanthropy, but also his vision for Winnipeg’s future. “Because of my work at Rossbrook House I moved into an area of the city I was unfamiliar with, and I fell in love with it,” he says. “Even the community that is looked at as ‘needy’ was so generous in terms of their spirit and helping each other out. The real generosity came from within the community. There is so much potential in the city.”

“Some agencies don’t have broad appeal, but their work is essential,” he reflects. “That’s why we all have to pitch in together.

We are here for each other.” Phil’s Fund, Phil-Assist, is a named fund within The Foundation’s Community Fund, which is unrestricted and provides responsive grants based on community need.