Dive into what you should look for and the benefits the best child sponsorship programs have in common. Plus, see a comparison chart so you can choose the best child sponsorship charity for you.
Best Charity to Sponsor a Child With: What to Look For
When comparing child sponsorship programs, you must choose a program that matches what matters to you. For example, is sharing the gospel with children in need important to you? If so, you’ll want to choose a Christian charity dedicated to sharing Jesus with those they serve.
To help you decide, consider these questions before choosing a charity to sponsor a child with:
Who runs the program on the ground? Is it foreign agents sent to the communities in need, or does an already established local church provide the care for the child you sponsor? Or someone else?
What does the program offer the child? Do they receive medical care, nutrition support or an education? Do they hear the gospel and receive spiritual support? Or all the above?
What if the sponsored child has unique needs? Do they provide care for children with disabilities or those who need immediate intervention for abuse?
What is the role of the sponsor? Do you get to communicate with the child you sponsor? Are there other ways you can get involved with the program?
Benefits of the Best Child Sponsorship Programs
Every child sponsorship organization is unique. However, the most effective child sponsorship programs will offer these benefits to the children they serve and their sponsors.
Benefits for the Sponsored Child
The best charity to sponsor a child with should serve the children in their program by:
Fulfilling each child’s immediate and long-term needs. Children need care for their right-now needs like nutrition support as well as their long-term needs like education to leave poverty behind.
Prioritizing the safety of the children they serve. Children in poverty are highly vulnerable to violence and abuse. To release them, they must be surrounded by caring adults who know how to protect them from harm.
Working with local entities to understand the unique needs of children. To best serve children, organizations must go to the source: local churches and other entities in impoverished communities. They know the needs of the children in their communities best.
Want to learn more about what children receive through sponsorship? Check out: What Does Child Sponsorship Provide?
Benefits for You as a Child Sponsor
The best child sponsorship programs will also deliver specific benefits to you as a sponsor, including:
Financial transparency. You have the right to know where your donations are going. The organization you choose should provide financial transparency. And they should be dedicated to stewarding their dollars wisely.
Important updates. What’s going on in the child you sponsor’s country? How are they progressing? The right organization will provide regular updates.
Opportunities to communicate with the child. One of the incredible benefits of sponsoring a child is building a connection with them. Many organizations will give you the opportunity to communicate with the child through messages. And some will even allow you to visit the child you sponsor.
Ongoing impact evaluations. The best child sponsorship programs conduct ongoing impact evaluations to understand where and how they can improve the support they’re delivering as children’s needs change.
Learn more about Compassion International’s dedication to financial transparency.
Which Child Sponsorship Charity Is Best? [Comparison Chart]
Compassion: One of the Best Charities to Sponsor a Child With
Since 1952, Compassion International has worked to share the gospel in word and action with children living in poverty. We’ve grown to now serve 2.4 million children in 29 countries (and counting) in partnership with 8,000+ local churches.
Compassion is proud to have an “A” rating through Charity Watch for financial efficiency, transparency and governance.
Want to see our impact? See our impact by the numbers.
What Makes Compassion International Different?
At Compassion, we’re following in Jesus’ footsteps. We don’t just talk about the love of Jesus; we actively share it in tangible ways through our child sponsorship program.
Our programs are:
Christ-centered: Jesus is at the center of everything we do, so every child in our program hears the gospel and sees it in action through local church pastors, volunteers and sponsors around the world.
Church-driven: We empower local churches in impoverished communities to serve children in need. These churches become consistent sources of light and hope, representing Christ, making disciples in their communities and caring for children as they grow.
Child-focused: We care for each child’s unique right-now and long-term needs. Given the care they need, children can become thriving followers of Jesus, transforming their families, communities and nations.
Want to learn more about what makes us different? Check out: Compassion Basics: What Do the 3 C’s Mean?
What Does Compassion Provide to Children in Poverty?
While each child receives support based on their unique needs, every child in our program receives:
The hope of the gospel: Each child is connected to a local church, where they hear the gospel and experience Jesus’ love.
Protection from abuse: Children are surrounded by loving adults trained in child protection who keep them safe and teach them to advocate for themselves.
Care for their health: Children are monitored for malnutrition, receive a yearly checkup and are cared for whenever they’re sick or hurt.
Educational opportunities: Each child gets a quality education, empowering them to become thriving adults.
Disaster response: In the aftermath of floods, earthquakes and other disasters, children receive emergency care, including clean water, shelter and trauma counseling.
Millions of children are served daily through the generosity of local churches and sponsors around the world. Through this care, they’re empowered to be released from poverty in Jesus’ name.
Whether you’ve decided to sponsor a child or are simply considering sponsorship, we celebrate you! It’s through your yes that Compassion International can continue our work of caring for the least of these: children in need.
