What is it with cashiers in grocery stores always asking you for $1 for some foundation?

[onenote]

127. Stores and charities do it because it works and is cost effective

There are a number of ways that charitable organization pursue donations from the public. For example, you can rely on direct mail, phone solicitations, or door-to-door solicitations; you can sit back and hope money will come in on its own, you can set up a Salvation Army style donation booth outside a trafficked area. Compared to those approaches, accepting the assistance of a retail outlet that collects money on your behalf at the retailer's point of sale has the advantage of involving virtually no cost for the charity. So why wouldn't they add this to their arsenal? Because it alienates some people? So do direct mail and phone solicitations (particularly when you get hit up repeatedly after you make a contribution) and door-to-door solicitation.

Personally, I virtually never give in response to retailer point of sale requests. I also never give in response to phone solicitations and try not to give in response to mail solicitation. For the most part, i give to a group of charitable organizations through direct deposit donations spaced out over the year (which have the benefit of generally avoiding constant solicitations). I also sometimes give as a memorial gift in memory of a friend or relative that has passed away.

But to the extent that charities benefit from point of solicitations by getting money at virtually no cost, I have no reason to complain about it.