LITTLETON, Colo. -- The Bingham family was forever changed last November when Becca Bingham and her two young children were killed by a hit-and-run-driver in downtown Denver.

On Friday, which would have been her 40th birthday, Becca Bingham's family and friends wanted to find a way to turn a tragic loss into a message of hope.

Dana Walden had known Bingham for years, and she said they were enjoying motherhood together. She said a quiet birthday dinner in her memory just didn't seem good enough.

"All of us just wanted to come together to give to her, and this would have been something that would have been on her heart," she said.

So, Friday afternoon, she and about a dozen other friends and family members gathered to volunteer at the Project CURE headquarters. The charity is the world's largest distributor of donated medical supplies to developing countries.

Frank Bingham, Becca's husband, said that with Becca's nursing background, it would have been a cause close to her heart.

"She and I both served on the missions committee of our church for a couple of years," he said. "And we were able to see in a more firsthand way what the needs are out there in other parts of the world."

Frank Bingham lost his wife and his two children -- Macie, 4, and Garrison, 2, -- in a hit-and-run crash Nov. 10, 2006.

He takes comfort in knowing that he can use what happened to them to inspire and help others. He gave Project CURE a grant from the family's memorial fund.

"This is a great way to contribute to the positive side of things," he said.

Sarah McMullen, Becca's sister, drove all the way from Arkansas to volunteer, sorting medical supplies that will save lives. She said even now, her sister reminds people how precious life is.

"We all need to focus on our kids and our families and the people we care about," she said. "Because we don't all know how long we get to be here."

Frank Bingham plans to give grants on each of his children's birthdays, as well. The memorial fund is set up through The Denver Foundation: The Rebecca, Macie, and Garrison Bingham Memorial Fund, 950 S. Cherry St. Suite 200, Denver, CO 80246.