When medical challenges visited both a mother and her son, the Denver Actors Fund answered the door
Who we helped: Actor, improv comedian, and commercial and film actor Leanne Jewell has been performing from her living room since age 3. She was cast as the understudy for the one-woman play “Who’s Holiday” at Vintage Theater in December – and went on for three performances! Other theater credits include various roles in “The Vagina Monologues” at the People’s Building in Aurora. Recent improv and sketch comedy shows have included Comedy Sportz Denver, The Ride and Rattlebrain Productions. She also appears in occasional SCRIPTprov performances. She is also an improv coach and TEDx speaker. Leanne studied Music Education and Performance at Ohio University, majoring in voice and trumpet. She runs two companies: Shifts and Giggles (as a transformational speaker and coach) and Jewell Event Design, a wedding planning and event company. She is a single mom who lives in Lafayette with her 17-year-old son, Braeden Mather, and their two doodles, Chloe and Broseff.
Her medical story: Leanne is still working her way through a double medical nightmare: Her own, and her son’s. Braeden Mather’s journey with Long COVID cost him most of the 2022-23 school year. After three surgeries and countless other treatments and procedures, he was ultimately diagnosed with viral meningitis and is still in the long-haul process of rebuilding his ravaged immune system. And while doing her level best to keep up with the unending legal bills along with Braeden’s father, Eric Mather, Leanne learned she had to have a major surgery of her own, which took place in March.
How we helped: The Denver Actors Fund has worked with the extended Jewell/Mather families to tackle as much of their out-of-pocket medical obligation as possible. To date, the Denver Actors Fund has paid down Leanne and Braeden’s medical bills by $12,194.80. This is separate from two previous harrowing ordeals involving Eric and his wife, Jenny, in 2016 and ’22, which amounted to another $6,714.
‘THERE AREN’T ENOUGH WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE.’ – LEANNE JEWELL
A message from Leanne and Braeden: “There aren’t enough words to describe how grateful we are to the Denver Actors Fund for the help we have received with outstanding medical bills. My son, Braeden, and I both went through serious health challenges that resulted in some heavy medical bills over 2022 and ’23. We struggled but managed to pay our bills in 2022, but the burden became overwhelming in 2023 as the bills were piling up. When I learned had to have surgery myself, I was extremely stressed out. But then the Denver Actors Fund stepped in, and we couldn’t be more grateful. I can breathe again thanks to the amazing work of this organization, and I’m looking forward to returning the favor and supporting them so that they continue their great work of supporting actors in our great community. Thank you, DAF!”
Help us to replenish?: The Denver Actors Fund sent out more than $32,000 in medical relief in July 2023, while taking in only about $3,600. If you would like to help us replenish so we we can keep helping other Colorado theater artists, simply mail checks in any amount made out to Denver Actors Fund, P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO 80212. Or use this donation link, with our humble thanks.
Read testimonials from other Denver Actors Fund beneficiaries here, or click on a recent name below:
SEAN SCRUTCHINS AND DEVON JAMES: $1,276
BRITTNI AND LAVOUR ADDISON, $13,361
The Denver Actors Fund has now made $1,290,000 available to Colorado theatre artists.
Note: At The Denver Actors Fund, anonymity of aid recipients is presumed and fully protected, unless and until the recipient chooses to have their story told.
HOW YOU CAN HELP US REPLENISH:
To DONATE the Denver Actors Fund, please CLICK HERE (with our humble thanks)
ABOUT THE DENVER ACTORS FUND:
Video above: The Denver Actors Fund presents the memorial video at the Colorado Theatre Guild’s 2023 Henry Awards.
The Denver Actors Fund is a source of immediate, situational relief when members of the local theater community find themselves in medical need. To date, the Fund has allocated more than $1,250,000 to more than 560 artists facing medical need. In addition to financial relief, a team of more than 100 Denver Actors Fund volunteers offers good neighborly assistance including meal prep and delivery, child care, transportation, errands, construction, pet-sitting and more. For more information, visit our web site at DenverActorsFund.Org.
HOW TO APPLY FOR AID:
To apply for Denver Actors Fund aid: Fill out this brief online form here
MORE WAYS TO HELP:
DONATE BY MAIL:
Send checks made out to the Denver Actors Fund to:
P.O. Box 11182
Denver, CO 80211
VOLUNTEER:
Ever thought about taking a more active role in The Denver Actors Fund? Click here for more information
SHOP AT KING SOOPERS
Sign up for King Soopers’ Community Rewards Program and raise money for The DAF just by shopping for your groceries – and it doesn’t cost you an extra penny. To sign up, simply go here and designate The DAF as your preferred non-profit. Each quarter, King Soopers sends us a donation based on how much our supporters have spent. Thanks to all of you who are shopping for The DAF.
DONATE YOUR CAR
The Denver Actors Fund is now registered to accept vehicle donations, thanks to a new partnership with Vehicles for Charity. You can turn your unwanted but usable vehicle into greatly appreciated funds for The Denver Actors Fund. The process is simple. The DAF will receive 80 percent of auction proceeds, and a receipt for the donation will be sent to you that can be used for tax purposes. Read all about it here.
VOLUNTEER:
Ever thought about taking a more active role in the Denver Actors Fund? Click here for more information
COME TO THE EVENTS THAT SUPPORT US:
MONDAY, AUGUST 28: Please join us for Miners Alley Playhouse’s Industry Night performance of “Avenue Q,” the naughty and nice musical that is part flesh, part felt and packed with heart. Recent college grad Princeton moves into a shabby New York apartment this is not in your ordinary neighborhood. Princeton and his new-found friends struggle to find jobs, dates and their ever-elusive purpose in life. Miners Alley is continuing its groundbreaking, trendsetting commitment to dedicate ALL PROCEEDS from one designated performance of each run to go to the Denver Actors Fund. And on this night only, $51 tickets can be yours for only $20. Since 2014, MAP has generated more than $60,000 in donations to The Denver Actors Fund through evenings just like this one. If you plan to see “Avenue Q,” please consider joining us at 7:30 p.m. on MONDAY, AUGUST 28. Miners Alley Playhouse is located at 1224 Washington Ave., in Golden. Call 303-935-3044 or choose your own seats at minersalley.com. Be sure to choose AUGUST 28. The promo code for $20 tickets is DAFNIGHT.
VISIT OUR ONLINE MERCH STORE:
Click here to see how you can buy DAF products such as T-shirts, key chains, puzzles and much more.
