Make a difference in a child's life today!

Compassion International's Christian child sponsorship ministry exists for one simple reason: to break the cycle of poverty for children everywhere.

This vision stems from Rev. Everett Swanson who, in the early 1950's, developed a system for caring people to sponsor Korean children for just a few dollars a month. This provided Korean children with:

• Food, shelter, and clothing as needed
• Education and healthcare
• Christian training and personal attention

That work has continued, and grown, for over 50 years. Today we are helping over 500,000 children in over 20 countries.

Sponsor a child today and help release children from poverty in Jesus' name.

>> Yes, I want to change
a child's life today!

 

Christians take their giving seriously, and are careful about each donation decision. ChristianSponsor.com recommends Compassion International, the trusted leader in child sponsorship.

To search for a child now, CLICK HERE, or read more about Compassion below...

Compassion Frequently Asked Questions About Child Sponsorship Will my child write to me? How important is prayer in Compassion sponsorship? If I must discontinue my child sponsorship, what happens to the child I'm helping? How can I communicate with the child I sponsor? What other opportunities will I have to learn about the child I'm helping? How long should my child sponsorship last? How much does it cost to sponsor a child? What specific benefits will the child I sponsor receive? Will I be the only person sponsoring the child I'm helping? May I send gifts to my child? What is a Compassion Sponsor? About Compassion Is Compassion affiliated with any church or denomination? How did Compassion begin and what is its current status? In which countries do you work? Does Compassion partner with Christian musicians, speakers and ministries? What makes Compassion stand out among other childcare organizations? Financial Integrity How does Compassion insure that my support actually benefits the child I sponsor? What percentage of expenditures are spent on program activities? Can I see a copy of Compassion's most recent audited financial statement? Are my contributions to Compassion, including my sponsorship support and gifts, tax-deductible? Will my child write to me?  Your child will write to you at least three times a year. A teacher or staff person will help children who have yet to learn how to read and write. Letter writing is developmental for children as it improves their basic literacy, self-awareness and ability to put thoughts and feelings into words. As you share your own family and personal concerns with the child you support, you'll probably discover that he or she is consistently praying for you. As your exchange of letters with the child you sponsor grows over the years, you can build a scrapbook of letters and photos from your child. Your scrapbook will serve as a constant reminder of the relationship you've developed with the child you're helping and of how you've contributed to his or her growth. Back to top How important is prayer in Compassion sponsorship?  Prayer is a critical link between Compassion sponsors and the children they help. Your sponsored child is in need and vulnerable. Your prayers for the health, safety, education and spiritual development of your child are critical. Sponsored children are greatly encouraged when they hear that their sponsors are praying for them. Remember that the child you sponsor will likely pray for you, too. Often, a sponsored child's family and church join in prayer with the child on behalf of a sponsor. As you share your own family and personal concerns with the child you support, you'll probably discover that he or she is consistently praying for you. Back to top If I must discontinue my child sponsorship, what happens to the child I'm helping?  If you need to discontinue your child sponsorship, we will immediately look for a new sponsor for your child and continue the child's sponsorship support without interruption. Back to top How can I communicate with the child I sponsor?  Once you've become a sponsor, we provide you with a special correspondence packet that includes stationery, an envelope and the brochure Letters, Gifts and Your Sponsored Child with practical suggestions about writing the child you're helping. We encourage you to send your sponsored child a personal or family photograph and a short letter of introduction. Compassion's field staff will translate your letter and deliver it to the child you support. Sponsored children typically keep their sponsors' photos and letters in their homes as treasured possessions. You may write to the child you sponsor as often as you like. When you write, your sponsored child will benefit from knowing that someone in addition to his or her family really cares. Your words of encouragement will make a big difference to your child. Correspondence between sponsors and the children they support is truly developmental. The more you write the child you sponsor, the more he or she will reap the benefits of your relationship. Back to top What other opportunities will I have to learn about the child I'm helping?  In addition to letters from your sponsored child, Compassion will send you periodic updates about your child's progress, a biannual publication about Compassion's work worldwide and annual newsletters about your child's country and Compassion's program there. You'll have a better understanding of your sponsored child's culture and life and it's quite likely that your vision of God's Kingdom will expand, too. You may even decide to visit the child you sponsor on a Compassion Sponsor Tour. It's an unforgettable experience. You can find out more about sponsor tours by calling us toll free at (800) 336-7542. Back to top How long should my child sponsorship last?  Compassion child sponsorship offers you the opportunity to stay with a child for a number of years, usually through the school year in which the child reaches the age of 18. While we hope that you will be able to continue in your support of your sponsored child until he or she completes the Compassion program, we recognize that sponsors' circumstances sometimes change. You may discontinue your sponsorship at any time. Please understand that a sponsored child's circumstances may change, too. For example, sometimes families move beyond the reach of Compassion's program and children have to leave Compassion sponsorship. We will inform you as quickly as possible if any such circumstance affects the child you sponsor, and we'll offer you the opportunity to support another child in need of your help. Back to top How much does it cost to sponsor a child?  If you choose to sponsor a child, the cost is only $32 per month. Back to top What specific benefits will the child I sponsor receive?  The child you sponsor through Compassion will receive opportunities and services that most of the world's poorest children will simply never see. These opportunities and services include the following: The opportunity to receive an education: In some cases, this means providing the cost of school fees, clothing and supplies. In other cases, it means providing tutoring, help with homework, encouragement and, if necessary, participation in a literacy program outside the classroom. Your Compassion sponsorship will allow one special child to stay in school longer if formal schooling is an option and get the most out of his or her education. The opportunity to be healthy: The health of the child you sponsor will be monitored and care will be provided as needed. Children are taught about hygiene and how to maintain personal health. In addition, and according to their needs, many Compassion children receive supplementary food. The opportunity to develop self-confidence and social skills: The child you support will be part of a church-based program where Christian adults offer love, guidance, personal attention, guided recreation and safety. The opportunity to hear the gospel and learn about Jesus: Most important, your Compassion sponsorship provides the child you sponsor with regular Bible training and encouragement through a local church committed to Christ and the children in its community. Back to top Will I be the only person sponsoring the child I'm helping?  Yes. The child you're helping has just one sponsor: you. That's why your prayers, letters and support mean so much to your sponsored child. Even if you choose to sponsor a child as a family or a group (for example, a youth group or a Sunday school class), the child you help will still be relating to your family or group as his or her only sponsor. No other group or individual will also sponsor the child you help. Back to top May I send gifts to my child?  Yes. Compassion encourages sponsors to give additional monetary gifts to their sponsored children for special occasions, to address specific needs or simply as an act of love. These gifts are another effective way for you to reinforce your care and commitment to your child. One hundred percent of all individual child gift amounts go to that child. Local project workers purchase gifts on behalf of our sponsors and make certain that these funds are used appropriately. As a guideline, we ask that sponsors keep these contributions between $10 and $25 for each child and limit their gift giving to twice a year. Back to top What is a Compassion Sponsor?  A Compassion sponsor is someone like you who has made the decision to personally invest in the life of a child in need. As a Compassion sponsor, you enable your sponsored child to participate in a church-based program that offers life-changing benefits including help with: education, health care, social skills development and Christian training. And more than this, you can help your sponsored child develop a sense of confidence and self-worth with the love you express through letters and prayers. As a Compassion sponsor, you are assured that there is a real connection between you and the specific child you support. The child you sponsor will know your name, write to you and benefit directly from your monthly sponsorship. Your relationship with your sponsored child makes you a very important person who has a significant role in his or her development. You stand alongside parents, pastors, teachers, family and friends who are taking an active role in encouraging and developing the child. Back to top Is Compassion affiliated with any church or denomination?  Compassion works with local church partners and fellowships representing more than 65 denominations. Our statement of faith is the same as that of the National Association of Evangelicals. Back to top How did Compassion begin and what is its current status?  In 1952, evangelist Rev. Everett Swanson was preaching in Korea. Moved by the plight of Korean war orphans, Swanson established a program through which caring people could provide food, shelter, education, medical care and Christian training for those orphans. Rev. Swanson's program became the basis for what is now Compassion International. Nearly one million children have been sponsored through Compassion; its history can be traced through more than 40 countries. Compassion's Christian commitment has never wavered. We are keenly aware of the part we can play in fulfilling the Great Commission. All of our employees are committed followers of Jesus Christ, dedicated to developing children worldwide — and we are working exclusively through local churches and fellowships. Currently, Compassion serves over 500,000 children in more than 20 developing countries. Back to top In which countries do you work?  Currently we work in 21 countries, divided into four areas: Africa: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. Middle America: the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua. South America: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Asia: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. Back to top Does Compassion partner with Christian musicians, speakers and ministries?  Yes, over the years Compassion has partnered with many Christian musicians, speakers, promoters and ministries who share Compassion's heart for impoverished children around the world. These spokespeople not only have a strong desire to serve as advocates for children in need but they are also sponsors of children themselves. In fact, the great majority have visited Compassion projects overseas and witnessed the life-changing effects that sponsorship brings. Compassion's partnership many times includes financial assistance for these artists, speakers and ministries. This does not make their passion to help the poor any less significant. We want to honor the Kingdom-building work that God has called these ministries to accomplish. These partnerships are relationships built on Kingdom efforts, mutual respect and trust. Compassion's investment in this area has a two-fold benefit: Tens of thousands of new sponsorships are acquired while supporting other Christian ministries that are also building God's Kingdom. Therefore, we feel these relationships are both fiscally and spiritually responsible. Note: As a part of its longstanding commitment to financial accountability and stewardship, Compassion invests less than ten percent of its total expenses in fundraising activities. Back to top What makes Compassion stand out among other childcare organizations?  As a Compassion sponsor, you'll discover Compassion's distinctive values: A focus on child development: Our program targets the needs of individual children first. Many organizations focus on needs of the community first. Both approaches have value but we believe Compassion's emphasis reminds everyone — staff, sponsor and child alike — that everything we do is based on the needs of the children we serve. Working exclusively through local churches and Christian fellowships: We want sponsored children to view the benefits of Compassion sponsorship as an expression of God's love for them. We also want to equip the Body of Christ in the countries where we work with effective child development ministries so that church leaders and members around the world can become effective child advocates in their communities. A goal of child discipleship: We believe the most loving thing we can do for children is to introduce them to Jesus Christ. Here's why: When children discover their worth to God, their self-esteem blossoms. Children who recognize their roles as disciples are a strategic part of today's Church. Children discipled in the Word and ways of God become our most potent weapon against tomorrow's poverty because they are tomorrow's Church. Our goal, then, is to take a child from the brink of survival to abundant life as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Back to top How does Compassion insure that my support actually benefits the child I sponsor?  Compassion works exclusively through local churches and Christian fellowships to assist children. Because projects tend to average about 180 children, the local staff can become personally acquainted with each sponsored child and his or her unique needs. Sponsorship support for all of the children in a project is combined and managed to provide a wide range of developmental activities and opportunities. Compassion conducts audits regularly to make sure funds are properly received, tracked and managed. Every financial process — from local field projects to the home office in Colorado Springs — is regularly audited both internally and externally. But it's not enough to insure that funds are reaching your child's local project and being spent on planned activities. Like you, we want to be sure that real development is taking place in the life of every sponsored child. Compassion works hard to monitor and evaluate each local project in terms of program effectiveness and long-term impact — right down to the individual child. Any time we see an irregularity, we take immediate and appropriate action. Back to top What percentage of expenditures are spent on program activities?  Throughout the years, Compassion has consistently averaged more than 80 percent of total expenditures being used for program activities, with less than 20 percent being used for fund raising and administration. During the past five years, the actual program percentage has averaged nearly 82 percent.   We use conservative accounting methods that do not inflate our effectiveness in this regard. That's why Compassion earns the very highest ratings from independent agencies that look into the financial management of nonprofit organizations, including: Forbes "Giving Smartly" Charities 2001 Listing The NonProfit Times' "Top 100 Revenues" The Chronicle of Philanthropy's "Philanthropy 400" The American Institute of Philanthropy's "Top Rated Charities" In addition, Compassion is a member of several accrediting agencies, including: Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (founding member) Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance If you would like additional financial information, please see our Form 990s and Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants Back to top Can I see a copy of Compassion's most recent audited financial statement?  Yes. Compassion is audited each year by an independent accounting firm. We publish this report in its entirety and make it available to anyone at any time. Accountability is a commitment and a value that drives our whole organization. We are totally committed to earning and keeping your trust. If you have any questions about financial issues, please call us toll free at (800) 336-7676. Our Sponsor Relations representatives will gladly respond to any questions you might have. Back to top Are my contributions to Compassion, including my sponsorship support and gifts, tax-deductible?  Yes. All contributions to Compassion are tax-deductible in the United States. As a requirement of the 1993 Revenue Reconciliation Act, we verify that no goods or services of value are given to you for your contribution. Back to top