People Who Can Make Decisions on Their Own

I've been canvassing town for donations towards the 30 Hour World Vision Famine.   I've been going to different businesses asking for small items which would be appropriate to give the students as prizes and I've also been asking grocery stores for food to use for our celebration meal at the end of the Famine.  Every single business I have been to gives me the standard "I'll have to check with ______ (insert random fictitious name) before I can commit".   Only one place I went to, a grocery store, immediately said they would be happy to support such a worthy cause and immediately gave me a $50 gift card to use as I saw fit.  Is it really so impossible for a manager of a store to give away even $10 worth of merchandise?  Oops - now I'm grumbling.  I am very, very thankful for the manager of the grocery store who took it on himself to support a local school and a worthy cause.  You can bet I will support his store in the future!  A.