Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays find retired Presbyterian minister Richard Selby ministering to his community in an additional way that he has found to fill his soul: Helping to feed his neighbors in need.

Selby, a resident of Farmers Branch since 1994, volunteers his time in the Metrocrest Services food pantry, where he works two shifts on three days each week.

“It’s a wonderful workplace, whether you’re an employee or a volunteer,” Selby said of Metrocrest Services, the non-profit agency that specializes in helping individuals, families, and seniors navigate through crisis situations and works to stabilize their lives for a brighter future.

“We’re treating a person not just with food, but a whole comprehensive set of services to get them to be independent and to live with dignity,” he said of the non-profit agency’s offerings. “The food pantry is a part of that.”

Selby’s volunteer work has included assembling food boxes, helping out with the Holiday program, and even putting food directly into the hands of Metrocrest Servies clients in need.

“We are acknowledging other people’s humanity and interacting with them as people – that’s actually my favorite thing to do – and that’s why I like working on the front lines and putting the food in the cars,” Selby said. “The part I like best is saying hello and seeing people. When they come to Metrocrest Services, they’re talking to people who care about them. They’re not just getting food; they’re getting acknowledgment as the very important people that they are. They’re the VIPs.”

Selby also is a member of the Metrocrest Ministry Fellowship. When he’s not volunteering at Metrocrest Services, he is serving as a guest preacher at several local churches.

“I’m not much for retirement, as you can tell,” he laughed. “I don’t want to dig in the dirt. I don’t want to take cruises. This is me trying not to be retired, trying to be in service and doing something that makes a difference.”

For Selby, his volunteer service comes with a payment that is far greater than any currency.

“Sometimes, a client will say to me, ‘Thank you so much for doing this,’” he said. “I put my head back in their car and I say, ‘You’re the reason I got up and came to work today.”

Metrocrest Services is proud of its volunteers, including Farmers Branch resident Richard Selby. To find out more about volunteer opportunities with Metrocrest Services, click here.