Legacy on Wheels: The Sonnen Family’s Gift to Denver

(Photo courtesy of Catholic Charities)

When three brand-new catering trucks rolled into service for Catholic Charities' Samaritan House Catering team, they carried more than meals — they carried a family’s legacy. The Sonnen family donated the vehicles in honor of Chuck and Mary Ann Sonnen, lifelong Denver residents whose quiet generosity touched countless lives.

A Family of Compassion

Chuck and Mary Ann lived by one guiding principle: give whenever you can. Devout Catholics, they modeled compassion in everyday acts. Their son, Steve Sonnen, recalls a childhood Christmas when his father stopped at a Sears store in Denver and started chatting with a boy playing an Atari video game. That boy’s family couldn’t afford the console. Determined to help, Chuck tracked down the boy’s address, bought the Atari console and some games, wrapped them up and secretly delivered them to the family’s front porch.

“He rang the bell, sprinted away and left that kid the best Christmas ever,” Steve said. “That was so Dad — seeing a need and meeting it, no questions asked.”

Mary Ann, meanwhile, expressed her love through so many outlets, including baking. Every holiday season — well into her eighties — she spent hours making ten varieties of cookies for family, friends and neighbors.

“She never splurged on herself,” Jenni Sonnen, Steve’s wife, remembered. “But she would spend all day in the kitchen to show us how much she cared. Even now, I have powdered sugar balls in my freezer — the taste of her compassion.”

These stories reveal the heart of Chuck and Mary Ann’s generosity: humble, personal and unwavering. Before their passing, Mary Ann and Chuck discussed their legacy. Rather than naming a charity in their will, they entrusted their four children — Chuck, Gregg, Jan and Steve — to carry their spirit forward.

Gathering in Their Honor

After Chuck passed in early 2023 and Mary Ann in September 2024, Steve, his siblings, their spouses and Chuck and Mary Ann’s five grandchildren united to decide how best to use the inheritance.

“Mom was frugal — she believed every dollar could do more good elsewhere. Dad could never walk past someone in need. They made it clear: use the money for causes that reflect us and them,” Steve said.

Steve and Jenni scoured charity websites, comparing missions and needs. Jenni identified Catholic Charities' mobile program, Marisol Miles, which delivers diapers and other baby essentials to families across Colorado — painted with bright, distinctive murals. Within days, Steve confirmed that Catholic Charities was down to a single, aging catering truck and badly needed replacement vehicles to support its shelters and outreach programs.

“It felt perfect,” Jenni said. “A truck out there driving around Colorado, feeding people and delivering essentials in Chuck and Mary Ann’s memory — it was everything they stood for.”

“Grandpa used to keep blankets in his car for the homeless. Grandma baked cookies for everyone. Donating these trucks meant helping people directly — just like Grandma and Grandpa would have wanted,” added Matt, Chuck and Mary Ann's grandson.

Choosing Catholic Charities

The Sonnen family had donated to various causes over the years, but the decision to support Catholic Charities ran deeper than immediate need. It honored Chuck and Mary Ann’s Catholic roots:

• Mary Ann volunteered for decades at Christ the King Parish in Evergreen, counting collections each Sunday and helping manage church finances. She was also named ‘Volunteer of the Year’ by the Life Care Center for the Elderly in Evergreen.  She was frequently older than the people she was serving.

• Chuck, devout and compassionate, often initiated big family trips — organizing the kids and grandkids on outings to Durango or Mexico — because he believed shared experiences built stronger communities.

When Steve and his siblings asked Catholic Charities, “What’s a project that never gets funded?” the answer was clear. Catholic Charities manages multiple shelters and programs, feeding hundreds each day. Reliable catering trucks would expand capacity and ensure timely delivery of meals and supplies. The cost to replace two large vans and a Suburban-style vehicle? $190,000.

“I know Mom and Dad would have been embarrassed by the attention,” Steve admitted. “But they would have been proud to see these trucks out there — quietly doing their work, helping those who need it most.”

Honoring Generations of Giving

Chuck, Gregg, Jan and Steve each allocated their share of the inheritance; their spouses offered support and encouragement; and five grandchildren (Mark, Crista, Kevin, Matt and Leah) eagerly participated.

Jenni, Steve’s wife, helped research efforts.

“We wanted to find a program that aligned with everything my mother-in-law believed: caring for children and families, serving the poor, living out faith in action,” she said.

When she discovered the painted trucks traveling across Denver neighborhoods, delivering food and diapers, she felt the match was unmistakable.

“Seeing those trucks in action — in their bright colors, with that dedication — felt like a living tribute to Chuck and Mary Ann,” Jenni continued.

Impact on Denver’s Most Vulnerable

Denver’s cost of living has soared in recent years, exacerbating homelessness and food insecurity. Catholic Charities provides over 275,000 nights of shelter across the Front Range each year, serving thousands of men, women and children. Before the Sonnen donation, the organization relied on a single, old, unreliable catering truck, limiting its ability to deliver meals to its shelters and various ministries.

Today, three new vehicles — two large vans and a Suburban-style catering truck — crisscross the Front Range. They bring hot meals to Samaritan House participants, recipients in other ministries and act as mobile billboards reminding neighbors that compassion still drives Denver.

“Grandpa and Grandma came from humble beginnings. They knew what it was like to scrape by. Now, these trucks — painted with bold colors and their names — drive around providing meals to people who might otherwise go hungry. That’s the impact they wanted,” Matt Thompson said.

“Seeing these trucks out there reminds me that giving back isn’t a one-time event. It’s a lifestyle," Steve Sonnen added. "My parents lived that every day; now their legacy moves on wheels.”

A Unified Family, A Shared Purpose

What makes the Sonnen gift especially meaningful is that it arose from unity. Even though Chuck and Mary Ann were gone, their four children — Chuck, Gregg, Jan and Steve — gathered, and their spouses joined the mission. All five grandchildren and their spouses shared memories, stories and the values passed down at family gatherings.

“I think it would have meant a lot to our parents that we did this together," Steve said. "Pooling our resources, sharing stories and making a tangible difference felt like the perfect way to honor them.”

“Organizing this was healing. We spent evenings revisiting Chuck and Mary Ann’s eulogies, reading anecdotes, laughing, crying — reminding ourselves why we gave," Jenni added. "It wasn’t about a vehicle; it was about continuing their spirit of kindness.”

Messages for Those Who Want to Give Back

Steve Sonnen encourages donors to look for needs that often go unnoticed.

“If you have the means — time, talent or treasure — find a cause that aligns with your values. Sometimes the most impactful gifts are the ones that solve projects languishing on the ‘back burner,’” he said.

However one gives, everyday generosity has serious power, Jenni Sonnen said.

“You don’t need to be wealthy or famous to make a difference. A batch of cookies, a few blankets in your car, or a few volunteer hours can change someone’s day. Small acts ripple outward,” she added.

Matt Thompson urges transparency and impact:

“When you donate, find ways to see where the money goes. These trucks let us watch the journey — from parking at a shelter to serving a hot meal. That connection inspires us to keep giving.”

The Road Ahead

Every meal served from these new catering trucks carries a portion of Chuck and Mary Ann Sonnen’s legacy. Their names — etched subtly near the Catholic Charities logo — remind Denver that compassion and humility can drive real change.

“Mom and Dad were always humble. They never gave for recognition. They probably wouldn’t have wanted their names on the vehicles. But they would have loved seeing their values in action — feeding neighbors in need, delivering dignity alongside food,” Steve said.

As these vehicles navigate Denver’s streets, they do more than transport casseroles or meals in to-go containers. They transport hope, inherit compassion and honor a family’s belief that helping others is the greatest gift one can give.