charity expected at movies?

[ChadTower]

I was talking to a person I know about how at some movie theaters a few years back, before the previews, they would show a "feed the children" style film and then send ushers around with donation cans expecting you to give them money.  He doesn't remember this, and I say it was common at some large chains not very many years ago.  Does anyone else remember this?

[JCL]

I was talking to a person I know about how at some movie theaters a few years back, before the previews, they would show a "feed the children" style film and then send ushers around with donation cans expecting you to give them money.

[DaveMMR]

I was talking to a person I know about how at some movie theaters a few years back, before the previews, they would show a "feed the children" style film and then send ushers around with donation cans expecting you to give them money.  He doesn't remember this, and I say it was common at some large chains not very many years ago.  Does anyone else remember this?

It was big in the 80's.  Usually it was the Will Rogers Institue doing to soliciting.  I remember this practice was referenced in Mag Magazine too, so it wasn't unheard of. 

Nowadays, the can's by the ticket window (if anywhere at all).  Movie theatres don't want your money going in the can though (when it could be better spent buying overpriced junk food) so it's rarely mentioned by anyone.

[GameOver]

Last time I went to the movies (May?) the ushers came out in the theater right before the feature began, gave a shpiel about some charity & collected money.

[JB]

Mine've been selling heart-shaped pins with a tie-in to whatever the big movie is.
One of the movie distributors is running a charity they tie to. Forget which one.

[Stingray]

I remember it happening a couple times. Seems like it was the late '80s.

-S

[Havok]

I stoped going to movies once the kids arrived, however it was a common practice in my major movie theater (12 screens) 7 years ago...