Why Should You Donate to a Cause?
Seeing his followers serve others matters to Jesus. So much so that in Matthew 25, he shared this truth with his disciples: When you serve others, you’re serving him.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” — Matthew 25:40, NIV
Giving to a cause is one incredible way you can serve others. And when you serve them, you’re serving Jesus. When you give to them, you’re giving to Jesus. Beautiful, isn’t it?
This isn’t the only time Jesus instructed his followers to serve others. In Mark 10, a man asked Jesus what he had to do to receive eternal life.
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” — Mark 10:21, NIV
Sadly, the man turned away from Jesus as he was rich and couldn’t leave his wealth behind. Jesus knew that gathering treasures here on earth would only keep us tied down by them. To truly follow Jesus freely, we must freely give, storing up treasure in heaven instead.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:19-21, NIV
8 Causes to Donate To
Not sure where to give? Here are eight Compassion causes to donate to today, from disaster relief to education, that are changing the lives of those living in poverty.
Before diving into the list, take a moment to pray, asking God to guide you toward the cause that’s right for you. He knows exactly who should receive your generous gift.
1. Disaster Relief
When disasters like earthquakes, floods and wars strike, those living in poverty suffer the most. Without financial resources, impoverished families can’t afford emergency necessities like food and medical care.
Donating to disaster relief helps Compassion deliver necessities like food packs, health care, trauma counseling and more to these families through the local churches close to them.
2. Health & Nutrition
For children living in poverty, a lack of food and medical care is life-threatening. For example, nearly 50% of all deaths in children under 5 are linked to malnutrition. And for sick children, accessing medical care is often impossible with fewer physicians and financial resources for checkups and emergency care.
Giving to Compassion’s Health & Nutrition fund delivers necessities like medical checkups, therapeutic feeding and vaccinations to children who need them most. This care protects children from illness and disease, helping them thrive despite their circumstances.
3. Child Survival
Birth through the first year of life is a vulnerable time for moms and their babies. This is especially true for moms living in poverty. Sadly, 92% of maternal deaths occur in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
Around 4.8 million children died before reaching age 5 in 2023 alone. But you can help change that by donating to Compassion’s Survival program. Through this program, mamas receive the things they need to care for themselves and raise healthy little ones, from prenatal and postnatal care to milk and diapers.
4. Medical Care
Getting medical care is hard for children in poverty. Many live in remote communities without access to physicians and medical facilities. And many lack the financial resources needed to pay for medical help, even if they can find it.
Sadly, this leaves children at risk of serious illness, disease and malnutrition, threatening their lives. Through the Medical Assistance fund, you can help us give emergency care like surgeries, annual checkups and even prosthetic limbs to children in need.
5. Clean & Safe Water
According to UNICEF, more than 1,300 children under age 5 die daily because of diseases caused by unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation and hygiene. Something many of us often take for granted, clean water, can truly save lives.
By donating, you’ll help us provide essential water infrastructure like wells, filtration systems and safe bathrooms to communities in need.
6. Income Generation
Families living in poverty could improve their access to needs like nutritious food and medical care by increasing their incomes. But these families struggle to obtain the tools they need to do so.
Through income generation, Compassion equips those in need with starters like seeds and livestock. With these resources, they can grow nutritious food to both eat and sell at market, enabling them to better care for their families.
7. Education
Going to school empowers children to leave poverty behind. With an education, they can obtain employment that will help them stop the cycle of poverty within their families.
Sadly, poverty makes attending and staying in school hard. In fact, a staggering 98 million children in sub-Saharan Africa are out of school.
By donating to our Education Fund, you can empower these children to receive education by delivering tuition support, school supplies and even specialized education like vocational training.
8. Global Food Crisis
The world is facing a serious food shortage, worsened by the 2020 pandemic, severe weather and war. Around 149 million children (about 1 in 5 worldwide) are chronically malnourished. And sadly, 3.1 million children die from malnutrition every year.
Compassion is fighting back through our Global Food Crisis Fund. Through this fund, we provide food staples like rice, eggs and meat to families suffering from hunger. This nutritious food protects the lives of children, helping them grow and develop as God intended.
No Donation Is Too Small
Maybe you’re reading this and thinking, “I don’t have that much to give.” If that’s you, know this: Nothing you give is too small.
In Mark 12, Jesus was watching people place offerings into the temple treasury. While many people were walking up and placing in large amounts, a poor widow dropped in just two small copper coins, worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything — all she had to live on.” — Mark 12:43-44, NIV
When given freely with a generous heart, Jesus honors our gift, no matter its size. After all, Jesus has a way of multiplying the little (like a few loaves and fish), turning it into something bigger.
At Compassion, we witness the gifts of many coming together to change lives every single day. Your gift will never be too small to make a difference.
Bonus: Fund a Specific Cause With Compassion Causes
If you’re looking for an even quicker way to make an impact on the lives of others, Compassion Causes is a great next step.
Through Compassion Causes, you can explore specific causes, from new roofs to baking skills, posted directly by trusted churches in impoverished communities.
When you donate, you’ll receive messages and pictures from the church as they work to complete the cause. Plus, you can share the cause with friends and family, potentially helping to boost progress toward fulfilling the church’s needs.
From the bottom of our hearts here at Compassion, we say thank you. Whether you’re considering a donation, have donated already or are partnering with us in prayer for children in poverty, know that you’re changing lives around the globe. We’re so thankful for you.
