Except if you are poor. I've honestly been to poor to be able to volunteer because I either worked weird hours and couldn't volunteer regularly or couldn't afford the gasoline necessary to volunteer. And I'm lucky - I didn't have children. Folks with children have it worse, though a portion says it does give some purpose. I don't know as I'm childless and plan on remaining that way.

A just-over-minimum wage job isn't really having a positive impact on the community and even if it did, you aren't treated like it does.