The 4 best nonprofits for an hourly job

For a lot of people, a job isn’t just a job. This is your chance to change the world and make a few bucks in the process. If a traditional office job or fast food gig isn’t for you, consider working in the nonprofit sector. 

Change the world and feel good about how you spend your time. We recommend checking out these four nonprofits for your next entry-level job. 

1. Habitat for Humanity

Habitat was honored as one of the best nonprofits to work for in 2018. It was founded in 1976 as a Christian nonprofit with the goal of building affordable homes across the globe. 

The average pay for Habitat employees is $20/hour, but it really depends on your job. And boy, do they have a variety of job openings. You can work on a Habitat construction crew, in finance, as a cashier or sales associate at the Habitat ReStore or as a donation manager. 

As a Habitat employee, you’ll get perks like medical, dental, PTO and life insurance. But wait, that’s not all! Habitat will even pay you to do charitable nonprofit work (read: get paid to volunteer). They also offer tuition reimbursement and a 403b retirement program. 

2. AARP

AARP was founded in 1958 with the mission of helping people stay active past age 50. This nonprofit is all about health and wellness, which is why they focus on “health, wealth and self” in their employee benefits package. 

As an AARP employee, you get access to medical, dental, vision and life insurance. You even get free legal services and a flexible spending account. 

And hey, this nonprofit knows how hard it is to care for children or aging parents. That’s why they also offer caregiving leave and parental leave programs to help with work-life balance.

Average pay depends on your job, but it’s in the $10/hour range. AARP offers entry-level jobs like data and research, customer care, administrative work and community outreach. 

3. American Red Cross

Founded in 1881, the American Red Cross helps with emergency and disaster relief in the US. This job is exciting and fast-paced, but if you like (sometimes literally) saving lives, this is the hourly job for you. 

As a Red Cross employee, you can earn anywhere from $9/hour to $25/hour depending on your job. Apply for positions like phlebotomist, technician and reception work. You can also get a less-exciting job conducting safety training to keep people safe in the event of a disaster. 

4. YMCA

When did you last set foot into your local YMCA? Chances are, it’s been a while, but the Y (as it’s now called) is full of career opportunities. The YMCA was founded in 1844 to develop a “healthy mind, body and spirit” based on Judeo-Christian principles. 

The Y is best known for offering low-cost activities and exercise options for local communities. Score a nonprofit job at the Y as a lifeguard, exercise instructor, administrative assistant, childcare worker or referee—there are a lot of options! 

Average YMCA pay is around the $11/hour mark, but includes awesome perks like a free Y membership, flexible schedule, pension plan, PTO and healthcare coverage. 

The bottom line

Nonprofit organizations provide a rewarding and fun environment for their employees. If you’re in the market for an hourly gig, why not enrich yourself in the process? These are some of the best nonprofits to work for as an entry-level job seeker. 

Now, is it time for you to start applying to these jobs? Great! Do a once-over over your resume, though. You don’t want to fall for these resume no-nos.