In the aftermath of Typhoon Ketsana, which affected 1.8 million people and left more than 240 people dead in the Philippines, Compassion International and its 26 local church partners have mobilized resources to aid flood victims providing water, food, medical care and shelter. So far, Compassion, the world's largest Christian child development organization, has authorized the release of $20,000 to help its Manila-based church partners provide immediate relief to those in need. More relief funding is also planned.

Currently, Compassion and its church partners are on the ground ensuring the safety of their sponsored children, assessing damage to their homes and providing immediate relief. At this time, Compassion has identified more than 545 sponsored children in their local church projects whose families have been impacted by the rising waters caused by the storm. Many families have lost their homes and some of the local church partners have lost their buildings.

"Compassion International tackles unforeseen barriers to a child's healthy development including natural disasters," said Mark Hanlon, senior vice president of Compassion International – USA. "After disaster strikes a community, Compassion provides relief to sponsored children and their families with food, clothing and other basic supplies to help rebuild their lives."

Because they know the unique needs of their community's children, Compassion works exclusively through local churches to release children from poverty in 25 of the world's poorest countries. As the world's largest one-to-one child development and sponsorship organization serving more than 1 million children worldwide, Compassion takes an individualized, holistic approach to meet the needs of each sponsored child.

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�� Bob Thorpe, director of Crisis Intervention is on the ground in the Philippines

�� Mark Hanlon, senior vice president – Compassion USA

�� Downloadable photos of devastation from the typhoon

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Compassion International is the world's largest Christian child development organization that permanently releases children from poverty. Founded in 1952, Compassion successfully tackles global poverty one child at a time, serving more than 1 million children in 25 of the world's poorest countries. Recognizing that poverty is more than a lack of money, Compassion works through local churches to holistically address the individual physical, economic, educational and spiritual needs of children - enabling them to thrive, not just survive. Compassion has been awarded eight consecutive, four-star ratings by Charity Navigator, America's largest charity evaluator.