Together, We Can Release Children From Poverty
Compassion’s mission is to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. But we can’t fulfill it alone. Compassion is pursuing institutional donor partnerships to mutually leverage innovative and effective support for the most vulnerable children and communities worldwide. If you have questions or would like to learn more about Compassion or how to become a partner, email us at [email protected].
In 1952, the Rev. Everett Swanson flew to South Korea to minister to American troops fighting in the Korean War. While there, he witnessed hundreds of war orphans living on the streets, abandoned by society.
One morning, he saw city workers scoop up what looked like piles of rags and toss them into the back of a truck. Those “piles” were not rags; they were children who had died in the streets. On his way back home, one question swirled in Rev. Swanson’s mind:
“What are you going to do?”
He answered by founding Compassion International. Compassion now assists more than 9,000 local churches in 29 partner countries, serving more than 2.4 million children and youth directly and many more indirectly.
Program Overview
Compassion is committed to releasing children from poverty through a holistic, long-term approach to child development. Compassion International, Inc., with our independent partners, controlled entities and affiliates (collectively, “Compassion”) connects more than 1.67 million caring donors to children living in poverty.
Compassion partners with local churches within the impoverished communities we serve. These partners lead and implement all our programs through locally established and increasingly participant-owned, integrated and adaptive models. Children are included regardless of church affiliation or membership.
By both relying upon and strengthening local systems, Compassion empowers local communities to help children and youth achieve positive outcomes in the following areas:
Water access, hygiene and sanitation (WaSH)
Food security
Economic development and livelihoods
Disaster response
Child and maternal health
Environmental stewardship and creation care
Child protection and safeguarding
Opportunity and access
Character and spiritual formation
It’s through these outcomes that children experience the hope that empowers them to reach for a brighter future beyond poverty.
Motivated since 1952 by its commitment to the teachings of Jesus to serve its neighbors, Compassion now assists more than 9,000 local churches in becoming ever more capable development partners in 29 partner countries. These churches serve more than 2.4 million children and youth directly and many more indirectly.
Core Competencies
Locally Led Development
Our programs are locally led by a network of more than 9,000 church partners located in impoverished communities.
Evidence-Based Child & Youth Development
We maintain academic partnerships to deepen an evidence base for improving our effectiveness in child and youth development.
Sourcing & Scaling Local Innovation
We pursue local innovation while supporting an ecosystem to resource the scaling of innovation.
Excellence in Protection & Safeguarding
We know, love and protect program participants through cross-functional protection and safeguarding standards.
Past Performance
Compassion recently started pursuing partnerships with official donors and their program partners after decades in which our robust local and international partnerships did not include them.
Since completing a successful three-year grant with UK Aid in 2023, we are actively exploring grant opportunities as well as knowledge sharing and other collaborations.
Compassion's Nonprofit Structure
Compassion is a 501(c)(3) charity governed by a board of directors that appoints members of the Global Executive Team to manage the organization and its branches as the organization’s executive officers.
Compassion’s board of directors serves to define and protect Compassion’s mission. It also helps guide the adoption of new policies and ensures that all corporate activities are aligned with strategic ministry objectives.