AURORA, Colo. — Retirement hasn't slowed down Bonnie Kirlin. Instead, it's given her more time to give back to her community.
For more than eight years, Kirlin has volunteered with Food Bank of the Rockies, dedicating more than 500 hours to helping families facing food insecurity. Her volunteer journey began through a corporate partnership between Food Bank of the Rockies and United Airlines, where Kirlin worked before retiring in May 2025.
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“The kids are our future,” said Kirlin. “They're going to be our doctors and lawyers and teachers and leaders. We need to make sure they have a good, healthy, nutritious meal. That's why I'm here.”
Even after retirement, she continues volunteering several times a month, sometimes alongside former coworkers, other times with her husband or helping prepare meals in the organization's community kitchen.
"I come once a month with United. Even though I'm retired, I'm still able to participate," Kirlin said. “My husband and I come once a month, and then I come at least once a month and help in the kitchen, so at least three to four times a month, I try to get here.”
Maren Roberts, who works in community impact at United Airlines, said Kirlin has been involved since the company's first volunteer shift at the food bank.
"Bonnie is incredibly sweet, incredibly easy to work with, incredibly caring," Roberts said.
During a recent volunteer shift, Kirlin helped assemble Totes of Hope, bags of nutritious food that children can take home for the weekend when school meals are unavailable.
Food Bank of the Rockies CEO Erin Pulling said volunteers are essential to the organization's mission, especially as demand for food assistance continues to grow ahead of the holiday season.
"Volunteers are not just supplemental to the work we do at Food Bank of the Rockies, they are the work," Pulling said.
The organization relies on more than 100 volunteers each day to help prepare meals, pack food boxes and distribute food to hundreds of hunger-relief partners.
“There is no way that we could meet our mission were it not for our very extraordinarily generous volunteer force,” said Pulling.
For her years of dedication, Kirlin was recognized as a Denver7 Everyday Hero. But she said recognition was never her motivation.
"I'm not here to be recognized for doing this. It's just something in my heart that I want to do," Kirlin said.
For anyone experiencing food insecurity, Food Bank of the Rockies offers resources to help locate nearby food distributions. Visit their website to "Find Food" assistance in your area. The website also provides information about volunteering, donating and other ways to support the organization's mission.\
Denver7 features a different Everyday Hero each week. To nominate a hero in your life, click here.