Our Mission

Our Story
Chin Weerappuli, a first-generation Sri Lankan-American immigrant, visited a local black-owned restaurant in Summer of 2020. At his arrival, the restaurant was closing despite being listed as open for another hour on Google. “Oh we haven’t been able to get those changed for months,” a staff member said. That moment inspired our mission & served as a call to action to help small businesses.
    Chin immediately drafted his plan to connect local businesses to professional resources, applying for a 501(c)(3) in order to help businesses with the financial burden already exasperated by the pandemic. Joined by VPs, Derrick Knudsen and Darian Nocera, The Underdog Family rapidly grew with the support of other volunteers that believed in the mission and wanted to help. TUF has since served over 20 small businesses with free technical services, and has partnered with many other organizations and other non-profits across Denver to bring the community together and do good things.
    chin darian and derrick the underdog family leadership team posing for a photo at the gala

    Our Values

    Building Community

    Rooting for the success of others to lift up members of our community.

    Promoting Integration

    Bringing people of all different ages, races, and backgrounds together for a common cause.

    Embodying Altruism

    A genuine passion for doing good things without expecting anything in return.

    About Us

    Our Mission

    "Cultivating a stronger community by highlighting the gems within it." Whether those "gems" are small business restaurants, local heroes like our healthcare workers, or public spaces like city parks, we believe by doing good and promoting the good within the community, we can strengthen the community overall. Will you join us in rooting for the Underdog?

    Underdog Definition
    A competitor thought to have the odds stacked against them.
    About Us

    Our Team

    We have an awesome team that volunteers to dedicate their time to TUF's mission. Our skills-based volunteering model allows us to keep costs low and put more money back into small businesses and the community.

    TUF Team Jumping in the Air

    What Our Community Says...

    Join the Team

    We rely on volunteers to make our impact.

    Explore professional growth opportunities, meet new people, and have fun while doing good for the Denver community.