I think the subway idea is lovely but i can see how it might cause problems too. Some parents are freaked out by the idea of strangers paying attention to their child or offering them anything. i once offered a Happymeal toy to a kid and had a very irate mommy threaten to call the cops. she was sure i had evil intentions but i only wanted to give the kid a little toy.
It's also possible that a parent might not want their girl to have an AG doll. Although i wouldn't go into details i know that some people have problems with AG and boycott it. That's why i like the idea of the thrift store and always try to give them a big bag of toys before the winter holidays. They usually have really sad broken toys and i'm sure it's nice for parents to find a nice
clean doll for a buck or 50 cents.