Pros
Providing free food to hungry children, seniors, and other vulnerable community members felt more impactful than any job I had before or have had since. Connecting with so many nonprofits in my city expanded how much I know about available resources for people in need. The living stipend doesn't count as a wage, so my income of $0 while 'working' qualified me for SNAP. I was able to get two certifications for free that I never would have been able to afford. I invited friends to join my program and was able to help our community alongside them.
Cons
Compensation is a living stipend, not a wage. My program was part-time, so I received less than $500/pay period for what was often physically and emotionally draining work. An income of less than $1000/mo was not sustainable even while sharing a 2 bedroom apartment between 5 people. If you are paying your own rent, groceries, medical bills, or other expenses, make sure you really understand what you'll be making before signing up for a program. When the nonprofit running our program decided they no longer wanted to manage it, there wasn't another grant to sustain the program. It ended with minimal notice to our staff, leaving them little time to find another job. Grant-funded work is always going to be unstable.
