Frequently Asked Questions

Due to the limitations of customs regulations, only paper items can be sent to sponsored children. Items made of paper up to 8.5″ by 11″ and up to .25″ thick can be sent on. Compassion cannot send on or return items that do not fall within these guidelines. If you would like to bless your child in other ways, please send a financial gift, which your child can use to purchase something they really need. Your money will go a lot further in the countries where we work and it will help stimulate the local economy.

Examples of what you can send in the mail include: photos, greeting cards, stickers, bookmarks, postcards, colouring pages, booklets, small calendars, scripture cards, decorative writing paper, paper dolls, and paper planes.

Items which we cannot send include: pencils, crayons, balloons, gum, jewelry, candy, magnets, clothes, toys, seeds, etc.

Absolutely! Please email us at info@compassion.ca or call us at 1-800-563-5437. Tax receipts are also available for you to download in your My Compassion account. For each year, tax receipts are issued no later than February 28th of the following year.

You can send a family gift of $40-$1,200 CAD up to two times per year (gift limit is cumulative). You can specify that your sponsored child’s family use your gift for livestock by simply asking us to attach a Gift Instruction to your gift. However, the family is free to use the gift for their greatest need. The centre staff will talk with the child and family to help them to spend your gift in the wisest way, with the best long-term improvement for the family. You can send a family gift through your My Compassion account or by calling our office.

Read more about how impactful the gift of livestock can be!

Christmas is one of the most special times of the year for sponsored children. For many, Christmas is the only time they receive gifts. The Christmas Gift Fund provides an age-appropriate Christmas gift for every child registered with Compassion. These gifts include clothing, blankets and bed-linen, toiletries, practical items and, of course, a range of toys. Funds are pooled internationally and equally distributed amongst all Compassion-assisted children, including those who do not yet have a sponsor. Compassion Canada suggests sponsors contribute an amount of $25 per child to this fund. Each sponsor has the opportunity to send a special Christmas card to the child they sponsor, which can be written online through your My Compassion account or sent via mail.

You can easily donate to Compassion Canada through internet banking. Just like adding a payee for paying bills, search for Compassion Canada and use your supporter number as the account number. Your supporter number will start with an “8-,” and be followed by 8 digits.

Depending on the bank you may need to omit the “8” or the dash. If your donation is for anything other than sponsorship—such as Urgent Needs, Christmas Gift Fund, etc.—please provide instructions in the notes section.

Presently, we work with Royal Bank, Scotiabank, TD Canada Trust, Bank of Montreal, CIBC, Canadian Western Bank, Citizens Bank and Credit Unions located in the provinces of British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

Alternatively, you can make a donation by credit card through our secure website.

Yes, we have a Gifts of Compassion catalogue.

Our office would also be happy to provide you with paper copies of the catalogue, please contact us with your request.

You can send a birthday gift online or by contacting our office. Birthday gifts can be between $15 and $150 CAD. Your financial gift to your sponsored child is greatly appreciated as it brings joy and help to ease the struggles of poverty.

Yes, Gifts of Compassion donations are tax-deductible. A charitable tax receipt for all donations made in a calendar year (excluding donations made through Text to Give or an online fundraiser, which are receipted separately) will be issued no later than February 28th of the following year.

In addition to your monthly sponsorship donation and encouraging letters, you may wish to send gifts to your sponsored child. We are delighted when sponsors decide to provide additional support. We do not mail parcels because delivery in developing countries is unreliable and expensive, but you are able to send paper items like stickers, posters and colouring pages.

We also provide an opportunity to send a monetary gift. The options are: Birthday Gift, General Gift, Family Gift or Child Development Centre Gift. Child Development Centre staff assist children and their families to ensure funds are used appropriately and to discuss how to best use the gift to benefit the child and family. If you have a specific gift in mind, we will forward your suggestion, but ultimately the child or their family will make the final decision.

Send your child a gift online.

Compassion’s child development ministry is not based on material handouts. We facilitate individual child development by providing learning opportunities that a child may not encounter in another situation. Learning is central to Compassion’s mission-we provide life skills that foster each child’s success. Learning opportunities also are provided for parents, which enables them to improve their parenting skills and provide for their families. Therefore we do not allow extra money to be given every month, but there are several opportunities over the year for you to bless your sponsored child and family with a special monetary gift.

To give a child, family or project gift online click here or connect with our office directly.

You can send a family gift of $40-$1,200 CAD up to two times per year (gift limit is cumulative). The centre staff will talk with the child and family to help them to spend your gift in the wisest way.

To send a gift online through your My Compassion account click here or contact us for more information.

It is possible to send financial gifts to your sponsored child, however, these gift funds are to be allocated to the child’s greatest need as determined by local staff and the child’s family.  Depending on the gift amount and the family needs at the time the gift is received, the gift could be allocated to further education opportunities for your child or another pressing family need.

Child and family gifts can be sent once per calendar year. To learn more, please check out the gift section of your My Compassion account or connect with our office directly.

You can send a family gift online through your My Compassion account or by contacting our office directly. You can send a family gift of $40-$1,200 CAD up to two times per year (gift limit is cumulative). Families often use gifts to buy livestock, items to repair the home, food, clothing, or bedding. Your financial gift to your sponsored child is greatly appreciated as it brings joy and help to ease the struggles of poverty.

You can send a Christmas gift to your sponsored child by making a donation to the Christmas Gift Fund.

We recommend giving $25 per child. Donations to the Christmas Gift Fund are pooled to ensure no Compassion-assisted child goes without a gift, even if they are not yet sponsored. Gifts that might be purchased for the children by the child development centre staff include clothing, shoes, small toys, household items, linen, food and livestock.

You can donate to the Christmas Gift Fund online or by calling our office .

Yes, it is possible for a group to sponsor one child. We have a few options to make donations simpler.

Depending on donation preferences and the group type, there may be different options for how this is set up. Please contact our office to walk through the sponsorship set-up for groups.

For each gift you order, you will receive a gift card for you to personalize for your friends and loved ones that explains how the gift you have purchased will benefit an individual or family living in poverty.

You can view past and upcoming gifts to your child through your My Compassion account.  If you do not have a gift set up, you can request this through the gift page on My Compassion or you can contact our office directly.

While gifts can be ordered year-round, if you require gift cards for Christmas, we recommend you make your order by December 15th. Digital versions of the cards tied to each gift are available at any time for download through the website. Please allow at least 10 business days for your card to arrive.

You can send a child gift online or by calling our office. Child gifts, including birthday gifts, can be between $15 and $150 CAD. Your financial gift to your sponsored child is greatly appreciated as it brings joy and help to ease the struggles of poverty.

Our Supporter Services team is available to help serve you with these inquiries. They can be reached by phone at 1.800.563.5437 8am-5pm EST, through live chat on our website or at info@compassion.ca