Frequently Asked Questions

Many sponsors have requested that opportunity. For years, we have discouraged such efforts due to the potential abuses of personal information (i.e. addresses) exchanged outside of a monitored relationship between a sponsor and a child. The potential for abuse is real. But, so is the potential for healthy communication between a motivated sponsor and a young person who is launching into adulthood. We encourage you to pray about your decision and then contact our office. You will need to sign a release form, and include it with a final letter to your sponsored child.

Yes, we can add your spouse’s name to your sponsorship. Please contact our office by phone or by email so that we can make this change for you.

In most of the countries we work in, photographs are a “big deal”. Each child wishes to look his/her best for their potential sponsor. This means in some countries that this photo is a serious occasion and not the appropriate time for a smile.

Check out this great story about picture day!

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.

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.

Yes, we can remove your spouse’s name from the sponsorship but we will require written or verbal permission from your spouse to do so. Please contact our office by phone or by email to get this change process started.

We understand your concern for your sponsored child. Our staff are working hard to provide us with specific information concerning Compassion children and their families. Communication is difficult as many centres do not have a phone. We are in regular communication with our office and they will let us know which children have been directly affected in time. As we gain specific information that would relate to a particular Compassion child, we will let sponsor’s know by email.

You can change your bank account information through the Payment Methods section of your My Compassion account or by calling our office. Thank you for supporting Compassion.

Compassion aims to reach as many families as possible. Typically, only one child from a family will attend a project. The parents will choose which child is registered. However, if the family has great needs up to three children may be enrolled. The benefits of the program reach the whole family through interaction with staff, health screening, nutritional advice and supplies, parenting workshops and other church activities. Sponsored children often share what they learn at the Compassion project with siblings and many lead their entire families to Christ. As well as supporting your sponsored child and their family through prayer, as a sponsor you are able to send financial gifts to your sponsored child’s family.

Check out this story!

http://blog.compassion.com/one-child-sponsorship-helps-an-entire-family/