The late, great, heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali may be equally as famous for the things he said as the things he did in the boxing ring.

Many of his quips were self-aggrandizing, but some of Ali’s sayings spoke to the heart of the man.

One of those is apropos today, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”

We often think about serving others during the holidays. Traditionally, Thanksgiving, for example, is one of the highest days of volunteerism that most soup kitchens have. Many lament they wish as many people would donate money and time all throughout the year.

But the fact is, now is the season of giving, and many, many local charitable organizations would not survive were it not for the generosity of scores and scores of local people who donate their time and money to help others.

Their “rent” as Ali put it is critically important to these agencies that touch so many lives throughout our community.

Today, we kick off our annual Season of Wishes series in which we feature some of the non-profits in our community that could use your help.

Volunteering time and donating money to others has an unusual effect on most of us; it makes us feel good inside.

Rarely does paying one’s “rent” make you feel as good as helping out a fellow human being in need.