Every new housing opportunity brings us a step closer to a Winnipeg without chronic homelessness. At the heart of that progress are people like Walter Chomichuk, who believes that everyone deserves a place to call home.
Walter has been supporting Siloam Mission since 2004. Over the years, his generosity has taken many forms – from monthly gifts to a remarkable donation of a duplex that now provides stability for two families in St. Boniface, Winnipeg. For him, giving has always come simply from seeing a need and doing what he can to help.
He describes himself as being in his “third life.” His first career was in education, where he spent more than two decades as a teacher and school administrator, including many years serving the St. Boniface community. Later, he moved into the financial sector as a stockbroker. Through his experiences and work in different cities, Walter came to see up close how difficult it can be for people to have a home and to maintain a home.
Years ago, Walter read a story in the Winnipeg Free Press about a man experiencing homelessness who found an empty refrigerator box discarded behind a hardware store. The man dragged the box under the Disraeli Bridge and used it as shelter, cutting an opening for a door so he could crawl inside, stay warmer, and be protected from the wind and rain. As Walter remembers it, the man “instantly became the king of the homeless under the bridge, because everyone else was sleeping in blankets, usually wet.”
For Walter, the story was both simple and powerful. “Here we are,” he reflected, “with many people living comfortably in their homes, and someone else is elated to have a cardboard box for shelter.” That realization stayed with him, and he began supporting Siloam Mission.
In recent years, Walter began to think more about how he could do even more. When one of his rental houses in St. Boniface became vacant, he invited his eldest daughter, Carolyn, and his son, Gregory, to come with him to meet Siloam Mission staff and see how the house could be turned into a home for families.
Today, that duplex is providing stability and a fresh start for two families who need it most. For Walter, knowing that the house is now helping bring families together is deeply meaningful. “That’s very warm and satisfying,” he shared.
Walter continues to support Siloam through monthly giving and has even included Siloam in his estate plans. Just as importantly, he hopes to encourage others to step forward as well. His hope is not only to make a difference himself, but to inspire others to do the same – to show that even one decision can become the beginning of something larger.
Looking back on his journey, Walter often returns to a phrase he learned years ago from investor John Templeton: “Do good, and you will do well.”
He believes that when people choose to use what they have to help others, good things follow. “Of course, you look after your family,” Walter says. “But we also have a responsibility – to help the community. That goes hand in hand.”
Walter’s generosity has given two families stability, safety, and a place to call home. We are deeply grateful to him, and to all who make this work possible. Because of supporters like Walter – and you – change is happening, and together we are taking meaningful steps toward a Winnipeg without chronic homelessness.
To learn more about Siloam’s work in housing and our vision of a Winnipeg without chronic homelessness, please email communications@siloam.ca or call 204-956-4344.
