Just because they're not working doesn't mean there isn't a shitload of other things to be done. Time spent is something often overlooked when discussing these kinds of things. Just food for thought.
(I am currently chuckling at the irony of a user with a Spam avatar talking about the importance of using raw ingredients) True, but it's not too hard to make a meal that requires little maintenance while it's cooking. So while it's cooking, you can do whatever. It's probably not going to be perfect, and it's definitely not going to be gourmet. But it's not like that cooking time is completely wasted. Also, the added convenience of prepackaged food gets balanced out by the amount of work that it takes to earn the extra money to afford it. If you're earning 10 bucks an hour, is it really worth it to save half an hour by making Pizza Pockets when you're spending extra money to pay for them? Alternatively, you can use less time cooking by making larger portions and eating leftovers. One day of making a big pot of chili can last a week.
I can make a delicious ragu sauce (5-6 servings) from scratch for about $5, and it probably requires 10 minutes of active prep, and another 20 inactive. But, finding recipes that are cheap, nutritious, and convenient to cook is difficult, especially if you don't have internet at home and aren't going to be collecting America's Test Kitchen magazines. Perfect thing for a charitable organization to provide.