re: So the Boy Scouts is now kids standing outside stores asking for money

Scouting bylaws prohibit individual troops from straight-up asking for money. Regional councils do have annual fundraising drives to support organization-wide activities (e.g. council-owned camps, which cost a fortune to run), but that happens behind the scenes.

My son's troop raises thousands through pancake breakfasts and selling discount cards usable at various merchants for $5 each. Troops do get unsolicited donations sometimes but cannot ask for money. On many occasions when traveling, strangers have offered cash at random when seeing the uniforms. It's a great program that more kids should consider.