DENVER (KDVR) – For a Denver woman named Snow White, it was not exactly a fairy tale way to spend part of her retirement volunteering in a kitchen on the Ukrainian border and helping refugees. But White said she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I wanted to help, I wanted to make some kind of difference,” White told FOX31.

Concerned about the Russian invasion, and feeling helpless, like so many others, she wanted to do something. She’d seen a video on social media of people helping feed refugees.

“And I thought, that’s what I can do. Bought my tickets and went to Przemysl to work for World Central Kitchen,” White said.

The charity was founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres, and has since served more than 16 million meals and delivered eight million pounds of food to Ukrainians since the war started.

Right away, the story of a refugee family from Ukraine that had utilized the charity’s services drove home the importance of the work she was doing.

“(She) and the three boys hadn’t eaten for three days. I thought about it every time I made a sandwich,” White said.

White spent a month and a half on a food assembly line, mass producing meals alongside strangers from all over the world. Serving others has been a part of her life for decades. She was a Denver Police officer for 28 years, and in retirement works as a volunteer in the police chief’s office.

“Whether we want to believe it or not, most of us come on this job because we want to help people. And when you retire, that doesn’t go away,” she said.

On the day we spoke with her, she was wearing earrings painted to match the Ukrainian flag, and her fingernails were painted blue and yellow as well.

“My heart is still with them,” White said.

White carries the experience of working with the refugees with her every day.