Central City Opera’s Apres Opera PAWS Fundraiser

The Denver Actors Fund is a source of immediate assistance when members of the Colorado theater community find themselves in situational medical need. The Denver Actors Fund offers both financial and practical volunteer assistance.

The Denver Actors Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2013 to provide support for Colorado theatre artists facing medical and personal crises. We offer financial assistance and practical volunteer help to those navigating emergencies – from physical health and dental needs to mental health support and urgent pet medical care.

The PAWS Fund is a separately funded initiative that provides limited financial relief for emergency pet-related medical expenses to members of the Colorado theatre community. We believe no artist should have to make the heartbreaking choice between saving a beloved animal and staying afloat financially. 

The PAWS Fund was launched in 2023 with $35,000 which included a lead gift of $10,000 from the Howard and Marty Corren family in memory of playwright Terry Dodd.

“We started the Denver Actors Fund to help Colorado theater artists experiencing medical hardships, and we have discovered that emergency pet medical expenses can be just as financially devastating to them as their own medical expenses, and sometimes more so,” DAF Executive Director and co-founder John Moore said in announcing the new initiative in May 2023.

ABOUT THE PAWS FUND

• Available to qualified Colorado theatre artists and their families for domesticated animal medical expenses
• Applicants must provide documentation of their pet’s emergency medical need and a detailed estimate or invoice.
• Offers up to $1,000 per household in any 12-month period
• Funds are limited and donations to the PAWS Fund must be specifically designated by donors
• The PAWS Fund will exist as long as donations dedicated specifically to the PAWS Fund continue to come in and keep the fund sustainable.
• This is a separately funded initiative with a limited balance. 
• The distribution policy is subject to change. 

Please note: Any donation to The Denver Actors Fund will continue to go directly to the primary general fund and be reserved for human medical-expense reimbursement unless the donor specifically designates that money to go to the PAWS Fund.