Asking for a charitable contribution at the cash register among "most annoying forms of philanthropy," says columnist, and might actually dissuade giving.
"But as worthy as it may be to spend time and effort encouraging Canadians to have more 'giving moments,' it might be equally worthwhile to ask the charitable and corporate sectors to consider which of their practices tend to discourage Canadians from having such moments. Perhaps eliminating some of these irritations would stimulate even greater generosity. . . . The habit of retail stores button-holing customers at the checkout for charitable donations of a dollar or two is, in our estimation, the most annoying and least persuasive example of philanthropy in Canada today. Regardless of whether it is done in support of international, national or local programs, the cash register charity holdup is a terrible idea." -- Macleans.ca
