I do not like Target, and stopped shopping there before moving to an area where there is no Target, but even though I don't like them, I dislike urban myths even more.
Target donates plenty to the Salvation Army. The reason the kettles are no longer permitted at Target is because Target was being targetted for lawsuits. The kettles were an exception to Target's strick no solicitation policy.
Why were they are a target for lawsuits?