Last week I was in Concord, NH to facilitate a board retreat for Volunteer NH!, NH’s premier nonprofit organization supporting volunteerism, Citizen Corps and AmeriCorps.  While there, I went to TJ Maxx to buy a suitcase to replace my old, battered one with zippers mangled by the airlines. During checkout process, the woman at the register asked if I would like to make a donation to Autism Speaks.  Since she did not specify an amount and left it open-ended, so I asked how much they were asking for from folks.  She said I could donate however much I wanted.  I admit, I am definitely not a big fan of such open-ended add-on offers.  It seems easier to say no thanks to me because it requires me the customer to work harder to figure out how much to give.  I personally much prefer the round-up to the next dollar or a set $1 or $5 donation add-on approaches - at least for me, they require less thinking making it easier to say, “sure!”  So I ended up giving $1 - not much but something.  The open-ended approach obviously was working for them, however.  There was a handmade sign next to the checkout line announcing that in 2007, the Concord TJ Maxx raised more money than any other TJ Maxx to support autism.  They had raised $3,400 and were hoping to raise at least that much again this year.  Their sign had a thermometer showing the donations received.  Clearly, the store employees were proud of their efforts.  They also had preprinted flyers providing the customer with a few details of Autism Speaks, its mission and website address to take home.  The dollar value of the donation was also listed as a line item on the sales receipt.  Good job!

Autism Speaks “goal is to change the future for all who nstruggle with autism spectrum disorders.”  They are “dedicated to funding global biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments, and cure for autism; to rasing public awareness about autism and its effects on individuals, families, and society; and to bringing hope to all who deal with the hardshoips of the disorder.”

I went to the TJ Maxx website, One for Change page.  The store is partnering with its customers, asking them to donate $1.  Together One for Change has raised $13 million for various charities including Autism Speaks, Save the Children, and Josline Diabetes Center.