If You Can Help Somebody, Do it

Angelo Nitsopoulos has a philosophy: If you have an extra dollar, give it to someone who needs it.
“Give it to charity; give to someone on the street, help somebody,” Nitsopoulos said.

The owner of Heart of Niagara Hospitality put those words to action in 2019 when he started the Nitsopoulos Families’ Fund with the Niagara Community Foundation.  For years, Nitsopoulos has given his time to the Foundation; as a founder of the former Mayor’s Au Marché fundraiser and as a longtime volunteer with the organization; he’s also donated to numerous other causes and charities in the community.

But it was time for Nitsopoulos and his family to give financially to the Foundation after being inspired by David Howes, the late St. Catharines businessman and philanthropist whose own fund was transformative to both the Foundation and Niagara.

The Nitsopoulos Families’ Fund was created in honor of the five brothers with the intention of contributing annually to the growth of the philanthropic investment in their community. Their only stipulation: “Use the money where it’s most needed in Niagara.”

“As time goes on if we put more money in, it will grow,” Nitsopoulos said. “I look at it as a start that will lead to something that will get bigger and better, and that’s to come.”

Ultimately, the fund is the families’ way of giving back to a community that Nitsopoulos said has given them so much throughout their lives and careers.

“Most of my business is done for our community, not just people coming from out of town,” the hotelier explained. “We work hard and we’re fortunate, so we want to give back. This is my town, my children were born here, my grandchildren were born here, so it’s my home. I’m passionate about my city.
If you can help somebody who needs it, do it.”