Originally Posted by
jetbike
I thought that this might be a project companies might want to be associated with and as such I might get some free stuff to assist me in this venture. No harm, no foul.
You might possibly get a donation toward your charity from the companies you approach.
But be sure to contact the charity of your choice before you approach the companies you're thinking of ... to make sure that your request and collection technique meets the charity's standards, and so that the companies you approach can confirm with the charity that you're legit.
As for you personally, you might get a waterbottle, T-shirt, or pen out of the companies you approach. Companies tend to have a stockpile of such things for such requests.
If you want more than that, you'd better come up with an idea of what you can do for them ... such as writing up an endorsement for products which they can use in advertizing, or going to certain places on your route (i.e. town fairs or something) where you can promote their products, etc.