Retired Verdun firefighter Joe Quinn lives by some very simple words.

"My dad always told me when I first joined the fire service, ‘Joe, don't forget you have to give back,” said Qiunn. “And that's my motto all my life.”

Helping others is in his blood.

“I get a feeling of exhilaration,” he explained            

As a volunteer at Manna Verdun food bank, Quinn spends every Wednesday on the front lines serving food to others. The rest of the week, he’s behind the scenes, ‘schlepping’ around picking up food and donations, he said.     

“When they call, I go,” said Quinn.

Quinn began volunteering while serving for the Verdun fire department, a job he held for 32 years.          

By all accounts, he has a long list of organizations he helps.

The past-president of the United Irish Societies, Quinn is still very involved in that organization, said current president Mike Kennedy.

“It's special that Joe keeps on giving and giving and giving,” said Kennedy. “We appreciate that of him.”

His fellow volunteers who help run Manna Verdun have nothing but praise for him.      

“He’s fun to be around and an all-around nice guy,” said volunteer Brian Labrecque.

Volunteer Eunice Ulley agrees.

“He’s ambitious, caring -- and very busy!” she said.