Sponsor a Child
How to Sponsor a Child in Need
Keep reading for step-by-step instructions on how to sponsor a child and change their life forever!
About Child Sponsorship
Child sponsorship is an effective way to help children escape poverty. Sponsorship addresses each of a child’s needs, providing food and medical care, education, mentorship and vocational training. Children are also introduced to the hope only found in Jesus.
Not sure how to sponsor a child in need? Here are the four simple steps you can follow to get started.
How to Sponsor a Child: 4 Simple Steps
Step 1
Determine What Type of Sponsorship is Important to You
The first step is to decide what is important to you and what you value. Many child sponsorship organizations are helping fight child poverty, and each organization has its own area of focus.
Once you have a clear vision, you can move forward with sponsoring a child in a way that aligns with your core values and goals.
Things to Consider:
- Do you prefer a faith-based or a secular organization?
- Does it matter to you how the child sponsorship program is implemented and administered at the local level?
- Does it matter if the child sponsorship organization accepts government funding?
- What sorts of activities, services and assistance do you want offered by the sponsorship program (e.g., physical and economic, social and emotional, spiritual, etc.)?
- Are there extra areas of care you'd like an organization to address (e.g., disaster relief, medical care, lifesaving surgeries, clean water, infant and child survival, etc.)?
Begin a Sponsorship Journey
A peer-reviewed and validated study published in the Journal of Political Economy determined that child sponsorship through Compassion works to release children from poverty and that Compassion’s program is an effective means of fighting poverty.*
Our approach to fighting poverty through child sponsorship allows us to address each kind of poverty and its causes. We advocate for the child’s whole well-being, not just pieces and parts. From supplemental nutrition and medical care to mentorship and spiritual support, child sponsorship through Compassion effectively and holistically releases children from poverty in Jesus' name.
Step 2
Research Your Sponsorship Options and Organizations
It’s time to find the organization that best matches your values and priorities. You'll find many different sponsorship organizations with a simple search on the internet!
To help you make the best decision for your circumstances, priorities and values, visit each organization’s website and consider the following:
Compassion is consistently given high ratings by sponsors and watchdog organizations alike.
Step 3
Sponsor a Child Through the Website
Once you determine which organization you want to sponsor a child with, look on their website to find the navigation link or tab that says “Sponsor a Child.” It usually will be quite prominent.
Clicking on the link will take you to a page where you can view the children waiting to be sponsored.
When you select a child from the filtered results or if you have the website automatically select a child for you, you can often learn more about the child, his or her community and the country he or she calls home.
Next, you’ll enter the checkout process. On the checkout page, fill out the required fields with your contact and payment information, then click to continue or review. Make sure all your information is correct before you finalize your sponsorship.
After you finalize your sponsorship, you’ll typically receive a welcome packet in the mail and may even receive photos of your child!
Sponsor a Child In Need
Step 4
Engage With Your Sponsored Child
The last step goes beyond selecting a child to sponsor and extends to what is involved with sponsoring a child.
It’s important to engage with your sponsored child. Engaged and active sponsors help children flourish!
As a Christian child sponsorship organization, we encourage you to pray for your sponsored child and share encouragement by writing letters to your sponsored child.
Writing letters can establish a relationship. And the more you participate in your sponsorship, the more you and your sponsored child will benefit.
With compassion, you will receive at least two letters per year from your sponsored child, a new photograph every two years, and progress reports about your child's development every three years.
Sponsor a Child in Need Today!
Sponsoring a child is an effective way to join the fight against poverty. Help a child in need by becoming a sponsor today!
About Compassion International
Since 1952, Compassion International has been a trusted charity committed to releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name. Our sponsorship program is:
- Christ-centered: Jesus is the core of our ministry, and his life and teachings shape our programs, reflect the spiritual commitments of our staff and guide how we love people, respect communities and cooperate with nations.
- Church-driven: Because local churches are a catalyst for community change, we partner with them to address the unique needs of the children in their communities.
- Child-focused: Our key focus is on the individual child. We match one sponsor with one child and help each one we serve to develop individually and holistically: mind, body and spirit.
Our approach to fighting poverty through child development and child sponsorship allows us to effectively address the different types of poverty and their causes.
Give With Confidence
With Compassion, your donation is used wisely to help children around the world.
We use industry-standard communication protocols to ensure your personal information is encrypted and transmitted without risk.
Trusted Charity Since 1952
Have Questions About Compassion and How We Work?
Donating to a charity is an important decision. So when you’re passionate about a cause and want to make a difference, we encourage you to do your research. Compassion is 100% committed to financial integrity, stewardship and using each dollar wisely. If you have any questions about Compassion or exactly how your donation will be used, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
* Wydick, Bruce, et al. “Does International Child Sponsorship Work? A Six-Country Study of Impacts on Adult Life Outcomes.” Journal of Political Economy, vol. 121, no. 2, 2013, pp. 393–436., doi:10.1086/670138. Accessed 10 July 2020.
Questions?
Please call us at 800-336-7676, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. MT, to speak with a Compassion representative.