COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – June 3, 2019 – Compassion International announced a partnership with Pastor, Communicator, and Social Entrepreneur, T.D. Jakes today. As CEO of TDJ Enterprises, Jakes has 41 books in print, nine films grossing more than $300 million, multiple high-profile conference series, and ongoing humanitarian initiatives around the globe. Jakes is also pastor to more than 30,000 members with more than 22 million online followers.
This past March, Jakes and his wife Serita experienced Compassion’s work firsthand and met Emerald and David, the two children they sponsor in Ghana. After their visit, they made a personal commitment to sponsor 10 children and began discussing a partnership with Compassion.
“As citizens of the world, my wife and I feel a responsibility to use our platform to help tackle the most pressing issues impacting the world’s youth,” said T.D. Jakes, CEO of TDJ Enterprises. “By linking arms with Compassion in a formal partnership and sponsoring 10 children personally, we are helping to meet the needs of African girls and boys practically while also giving them hope for a brighter future.”
As soon as children are registered in the Compassion program, they begin receiving many critical benefits, which may include food, educational assistance (i.e. tutors, school uniforms, textbooks and supplies), medical checkups, health and hygiene education, social skill development, spiritual development, and contextualized youth development opportunities.
Stacey Foster, senior director of church engagement at Compassion said, “We are excited to partner with T.D. Jakes to release children whose hopes and dreams are being crushed by the devastating impact of poverty. Over the next two years, we believe that this new partnership will result in potentially thousands of children released from poverty in Jesus name.”
The partnership was kicked off at Jakes’ International Pastors and Leadership Conference in Tampa, Fla., on April 25-27. Nine thousand pastors, church, business and government leaders were in attendance, and Compassion alumna, Jennifer Gitiri, shared her story of growing up in the slums of Kenya and finding hope through Compassion. Gitiri is now a lawyer with the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice in Kenya.
On Sunday, June 2 the partnership was rolled out in a special “Compassion Sunday” pre-announcement service at The Potter’s House of Dallas to enable the local congregation to be first among those large churches whose participation is key to the program’s success. To learn more about the partnership, visit compassion.com/tdjakes, or contact Tim Glenn at Compassion at [email protected] or [email protected].
About Compassion International
Compassion International is a Christian child development organization working to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. Founded in 1952, Compassion partners with more than 8,000 local churches in 27 program countries to deliver spiritual, economic, social, and physical care to over 2.2 million babies, children, and young adults in poverty. Ranked No. 8 in Forbes’ America’s Top Charities List in 2020, Compassion is a founding member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an accredited charity with the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information, visit compassion.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
About TDJ Enterprises
Founded by T.D. Jakes, TDJ Enterprises is a media and entertainment company that delivers original and inspirational content via its film, television, music, publishing imprint, digital properties and other highly regarded event productions. The winner of numerous humanitarian awards, Jakes has also achieved industry acclaim with Grammy and Dove Awards, NAACP Image Award, many Film awards. T.D. Jakes is a world renown leader and influencer with more than 15 million digital followers.