I had what I thought was a very nice and long standing relationship with a sponsored child. At 1 month before her 18th birthday, I got letters from staff at her center in a reply to my last letter to her. They let me know she was not there, but didn't offer any other specific information. I emailed Compassion to ask if she was coming back, where she had gone, and what her graduation date was from the program. No one could give me answers; not about why she was no longer writing me, not about if she'd be back. I called and the information became even more questionable and less helpful. The service rep read me the mail I'd already gotten from the staff member, as if I could not understand what I'd read. She kept repeating that the letter was not sent from the child, as if I didn't already understand that. They told me my sponsored child was at boarding school, and had been for a long time - which was not anything that the child had ever shared, and then when I told them that, they seemed confused, like either they'd misspoken or made something up. This was directly after telling me that usually sponsors know more about the kids than Compassion does. None of the info made sense, and no one I spoke to or emailed had the same story about what was going on. The inquiry started with simple questions (where is the child, when are they graduating, why did a staff person write me, will the child be writing me in the future), and turned into a twilight zone of interactions with them. My take away is that they don't have any specifics about the child, and could not confirm if she's continuing past 18. They seemed desparate to keep me engaged, but had zero understand that a level of transparency and compassion towards the sponsors is necessary. I'm involved because of this child, that I've been corresponding with for nearly a decade. Without info, this all feels like a money grab to me, and after reading a lot of reviews I see that others have similar concerns (where is the kid, is the kid writing the letters, what's going on?). I very sadly let them know I will not be continuing my sponsorship. read more

Been giving for 12 years, thought I was do some good by giving to one child. now that he's 17 i've asked specific questions that I have told him about me, and his responds is generic about God loving me. Never has answered my questions. Something is not right read more

I understand from ChatGPT that the CEO salary has been raised last year to $750,000! I will do that job free and hundreds of other donors like me would do the same! We were giving to impoverished children in what masquerades as a "Christian" organization. They should not be allowed to take salaries that make them amoung the richest and call themselves Christ followers. It's a lie! Jesus and his disciples were poor in worldly wealth and Jesus repeatedly denounced it. There have always been pseudo Christians and their schemes. This is not the first or last. We find ourselves contributing not to the child in our sponsorship photo but the organizations that siphon more than 80%. read what happens to the money. They children and their families get a fragment of what you think. The hands that touch it take another share and decided what they will let them purchase with the money we send. Who are these people? CEO, board down to that person in Ethiopia"shopping" with our sponsored kids family. There is a mountain of opportunities for corruption and an equal amount of lack of transparency. I recently was checking CharityWatch.org to see what kind of accountability is required for you. I was shocked by the lack of accountability. "Compassion International is not required to file an annual return (Form 990) with the IRS or state regulators because it is a religious organization. CharityWatch is therefore unable to provide salary information for this group." Christian should not be a cover for corruption. You should report more than required information as to exceed questions of impropriety. What is the CEO and board's compensated annual? Does it reflect a Christian belief of personal sacrifice and devotion to God. Are your treasures gathered from the pain and poverty of the world's most impoverished? I suspect that it is because of the lack of accountability and transparency. Shame on you! Mr CEO and Board members. You will soon face your Creator with your decision and all the life's you robbed to enrich your own you will face God with your crimes. You will spend eternity with your just reward. May you be convinced and convected and repent like Zaccheaus while you can. We have committed to the children and Christ so while our gifts may continue and your thief's of them do also God is not mock. What you sow you will reap. read more

Compassion International - Children in Africa - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Colorado Springs, Colorado

Came to see reviews because I started sponsoring my child months back and when I first got a letter I was excited and responded, then responded with a second letter and asked questions like if they had enjoyed their gift etc. The letter I just received doesn't look real and felt an immediate disconnect as if the person is not even reading my letters. There is no back and forth from what I can see. Which made me think, is the child even seeing the extra gift I sent them? I am not liking this at all and am going to be canceling my donations because now I actually believe that they are not getting their money. It seems I am not the only one thats noticed as other people have mentioned they believe someone else is writing their kids letter. I am in the same boat. read more

In 2023 I sponsored a child for one year, we communicated by letters on my compassion.com account and I was sent monthly photo updates of the child. At one point I could no longer afford to sponsor and they were so nice to me they offered to pay for one month. I eventually had to cancel and the process was easy. Compassion International is a legitimate organization that partners with local churches and operates as an after-school program providing daily living necessities for children to get them out of poverty. Financial transparency is provided on their website on Charity Watch and is reviewed on Newsweek. If you are interested in sponsoring I suggest following them on Facebook or watching YouTube videos. Good luck and this is a really good deed. I hope to sponsor a child again in the near future. read more

I like what they do, and their heart. But I cannot be supporting a child when their CEO, and upper management makes over 400k a year. I cannot think of any reasonable explanation for this. I was also really looking forward to the letter writing, but it is so slow. It has taken me 6 months to get a letter back. Then when I do get a letter back, It just sounds so in genuine. I am 18, and sponsoring a 17 year old, and I was really hoping it would work out, but I have come to the conclusion that there are better ministries to support. read more

You guys stopped me at Safeway & tried to forge my age to donate to your cause. I was obviously uncomfortable about the situation & gave my phone number to the person instead & said she could call me tomorrow & I would have someone of age able to donate. She was very upset about the situation & begged me that she needed one more signer. I said no, she took my number & I left. After that, I have been getting spam calls 30 times a day for the last few months. I have never given my number out to a random person before & it is not available on the internet. I did so because I thought I was doing the right thing. Unfortunately, now I'm being harassed by your volunteer because I couldn't meet her quota for the day. This is not the church to donate to. Covetousness behavior. read more

I have been a sponsor since 1989 and currently sponsor 6 kids and am "correspondent" with 5 others. I have been through thick and thin with this agency and I can say that I CONFIDENTLY recommend them! No, I don't like the high salaries of the upper management, but when you consider that 82% of donations still go to programs, that's pretty impressive. I have received countless letters over the years and yes, some of them are wooden and boring, but most are quite personal. All kids are different and some kids simply are better letter writers. I have one child with Down Syndrome who obviously can't write his own letters but I have received letters on his behalf from his mom, dad, a sister and a brother, so I feel like I know the whole family and they know me! It's wonderful. No agency is perfect, and neither is this one, but after 33 years, I feel like I have the authority to firmly and happily recommend this one. read more

I sponsored a child for a year and a few months. I really wanted to support her financially and encourage her in life and in the Lord. I just canceled my sponsorship today. I haven't heard from her since 4/30/20. They said that the kids haven't been in school since COVID. Well the last letter I got was during Covid, so she was in school at that time. I have no idea when the country closed the schools because I wasn't notified by Compassion about that. They also said that some of the compassion centers may have 200 kids and it's a lot for the adults to tend to all of them. I just did not feel good about it, and so I told them that I would continue sponsoring her for now, but I was going to pray about it and that God would show me the truth. After I got off the phone with Compassion, I googled a few things. I was looking at their breakdowns, and it turns out that the CEO of Compassion International has a salary of $419,184. That is horrible. Also, they spent $92 million on fundraising and only made $15 million in return. They literally wasted $77 million of people's donations. 77 MILLION DOLLARS WASTED. I called them back and let them know that I was going to cancel my sponsorship, that I didn't want to receive any junk mail or emails from them, and that the CEO can sponsor the child that I was sponsoring along with 800 others if he's concerned about their well-being. I want to be a good steward with my money and it's not by lining this man's pockets with cash so he can live a luxury life or donating to people that threw away 77 million that could've gone to children that really needed it. I pray for the little girl I stopped sponsoring, and I know God will take care of her (if she really does exist). read more

Compassion International - They wasted 77 million dollars on fundraising rather than helping kids. - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Colorado Springs, Colorado

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My husband and I have the honor of sponsoring 2 young children in Togo (West Africa) and Brazil, and used to sponsor a 3rd child in India before India's Prime Minister banished faith-based NGO's from the India. I am honestly surprised by the number of negative reviews written here because my husband and I have had positive experiences with Compassion International. We receive letters with English translations frequently from our children (every 3 months average) filled with drawings, questions answered and questions for us, and photos of the children. After sending holiday donations, I have seen photos of what our child(ren) and their parents bought with the donation - typically food, cooking supplies, and clothes. Now that members have access to the Compassion mobile app and scanning technologies, it makes it much easier and faster to send letters quickly and attach photos from our phone or laptop. As a sponsor you have the option to send hand written letters and small (flat) gifts as well beyond the digital letters. In the past my husband and I have put together small letter packets for our children that included fun things like stickers, post cards, photos, and hand written letters and prayers. When Compassion was battling the NGO ban in India, Compassion's headquarters frequently communicated with sponsors via email and mail to update us on what was happening. Even though it was heartbreaking to lose our little girl in India along with 245,000+ Indian children that Compassion lost, I appreciate that Compassion's headquarters communicated candidly and openly with us. Charity Navigator rates Compassion International a 4-star charity, the highest rating for a charity because 82.4% of funding goes directly to the children's programs. Compassion is a legit and reputable non-profit organization that serves children living in extreme poverty. With your $38 a month sponsorship, you cover a child's healthcare, education, food, extracurricular activities, and even provide skills-based training for the child's parents or caretakers. With your sponsorship, you are giving your child(ren) a life that they otherwise would not have, and give the child and their families the resources they need to empower them and break the cycle of poverty. There are thousands and thousands of former Compassion children who graduated from the program and went on to get university degrees, began their careers, and became contributing and influential members of their communities. My husband and I have a relationship with our sponsor children and we hope to be able to visit them in their villages and meet them someday. I want to share my positive experiences with the hope that other would-be potential sponsors seriously consider sponsoring a child living in extreme poverty via Compassion International. It's an incredible organization and your sponsorship will change and a child and their family's life, giving them opportunities to advance in ways they otherwise wouldn't have. Don't get discouraged by the negative reviews you see here. If you have any questions or concerns about Compassion and want to find out what my husband and my experience was, please message me directly! I would be more than happy to share my experiences with this organization and answer any questions that you have. read more

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We have been supporting 3 kids and over a month ago I called and asked if we can change our form of payment. The person said that they cannot help but transferred me. I never heard anything back. I called today and they said, "yup you are in line to be called back" Then the lady was super rude to me...Really? You don't have time in a whole month to call me back...I expect more not less from a christian organization.. read more

I've sponsored a child with Compassion for over 8 years and have been on a trip to the Dominican Republic to see their work first hand. From leadership to the church partners and child development centers, Compassion is doing amazing work to help children in poverty, keeping Christ at the center of what they do! read more

The people are really nice. And it's nice to donate. However it is not nice to realize the CEO is making over $300,000 a year. And that is why I stopped donating. read more

Something like 85% of donations goes to the child and their family. Everyone should have a child in need, it's amazing to be part of their lives. read more

This was a cool experience. I had never heard of the organization. I went with my sister and nieces to the traveling exhibit a few weeks ago. When you come in the staff gives you iPhone head sets, there is a kid version and an adult version. You literally enter an exhibit and walk through the life of a poor child from a 3rd world country. There was no admission fee, the first world we entered was the life of Kiwi and she was a little girl from the Philippines who lived in poverty with her parents, the production walked us through the shack, her grandmother's home, showed how her father's alcohol-abuse ruined their home life. Then Kiwi was enrolled in a sponsorship program through the church that provided the kids with education, food, medicine, etc. This is a religious based organization and they teach Christianity to the kids, some may have a problem with this. I do not. At the end of the tour you see Kiwi as an adult and she has made it out of poverty, went to college, gained a career, and was married. The terrific part of her story was that she met her advocates; a couple from Australia. And those pictures were on display as well. I know not every kid is going to have Kiwi's happily ever after story, but my feeling is at least they will have more of a chance at a better life. At the end participants come to an area where you can view who needs to be sponsored. The thing I liked about this was there was no pressure or no one breathing down our throats, selling kids and guilt. Many people simply left after the exhibit, but we went back, because we wanted to hear Jay's story a boy from Kenya whose mother sold drugs to get the family food. We walked through his life, and his stint in jail, and at the end of his showcase, we saw the footage of him as an international DJ. I was moved. When I came out, I found a little boy with a stern face from Burkina Faso, and said That's The One! I feel if I get my hair and nails done on a regular, I could easily sponsor a kid, its only $38 a month. You write letters, they write you back, they have programs where you meet other sponsors and you can volunteer to work the exhibitions when they come to town. I think its constructive. I read the other reviews and some complaints, I believe it is set up so people do not get too attached to these kids, after all its not adoption. Compassion is clear about letting advocates know that approximately 80%-86% of the money is used for the kid's needs, and 20% is administrative after all they do have a staff to pay. They will tell you that they strive to push the 80 to 100% donation to the child. You can give above if you choose, but this is not necessarily required. Once I get into writing my letters and hearing from him, I will follow up on Yelp, so you all can see if Compassion International lives up to its name, however so far I like how they are going about making A CHANGE in the world. And I am glad to be apart of it. read more

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I rarely write reviews but feel compelled to do so. My wife and I sponsored 2 kids in Peru: 1) a girl from age 7 to age 18 when she completed the program. We saw her via letters and photos blossom into an amazing young woman starting college for training to become a nurse. Now she is a joyful, motivated young woman of faith. 2) a young man from age 18 to age 22 when he completed the program. He is finishing "University" where he is studying to go into business administration. He also wants to be involved in youth ministry to help young people know Jesus. Yes---Compassion is a christian organization--imperfect like us all. In June 19 I traveled to Lima, Peru to meet both of them and it was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I spent a day with each child, their mother, local church teacher and a translator. It was incredible to meet these young people that I had been writing for years. Both of the children have become incredibly motivated young adults with great plans for their future. Oh---that young people in the U.S. would become more like our sponsored children. We need a "Compassion" organization for the U.S. read more

I actually question the fact the kids actually write the letters. We use to enjoy opening and reading them but when a 15 year old (we have been sponsoring for 6 years) is still drawing photos my four year old would draw there is something wrong. We haven't stopped sending money but have stopped sending letters because I don't believe I am communicating with my child. read more

I've just quit paying for my sponsorship for several months as I'm conflicted because of the lack of communication or letters to be received. I had better communication before covid but it really makes me question if my sponsored child is receiving anything at all at this point. I was understanding in 2020 with all the delays but there is a lack of trust in 2021 now that I have no information or communication to go off of. I've called questioning this and received scripted answers each time. read more

Although they receive an "A" rating, there are simply better choices if you want your charity dollars to go as far as possible. With 82% spent on programs relative to overhead (according to charity watch) your money can go farther with so many other charities that average in the upper 90%. read more

I was anxious to help a Haitian child make a better life for himself, and was hoping for one in the city, where needs are tremendous. I got one in the country. I was disappointed that, though my grandsons really wanted to correspond with him, he never wrote to us--it was always his mother, who used mostly stock phrases in her letters. If we were supposed to know where our gift money went, it never happened. When I found out that the CEO receives over $300/yr as salary, I smelled a rat and soured on participation in this organization. I scanned the glossy catalog inviting people to purchase animals for needy families--at seemingly greatly inflated prices unless perhaps the animals were being shipped from ranches in the States. In all, I have a bad feeling about this organization. Yes, the CEO runs it cannily--but his salary sticks in the gullet. read more

I have been a child sponsor through compassion since about 2000. In a recent family trip to Colorado, I had an opportunity to visit the headquarters in Colorado springs and take a tour. I am glad I brought my 7 and 9 year old children with; the facts, stories, pictures, exhibits etc moved them toward compassion as it did to me. I'd highly recommend working with this charity as it is actively focused on sharing the love of Jesus with the most helpless (children) struggling in poverty in this world. read more

Compassion International - Lobby of Headquarters in Colorado Springs - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Colorado Springs, Colorado

I have been giving to compassion since I was 18. I am now 25 and I have noticed trends.. poor communication. Generic letters and excuses from the compassion center. I got a few letters in the beginning with real drawings but all of that stopped. The last straw was when I was trying to check if my child was ok and was not harmed or being taken advantage of. I hadn't heard from him for more than a year but stayed hopeful. I stopped payments planning on a lump sum when I was told they would check in on him. They never got back to me. I feel like a fool and all 5 compassion staff I contacted to get help tell me it's fine and normal. NO it's not. Those staff are either on the scam or can't think. THINK about it. So many people are having the same issues. It's not coincidence. Donate your money somewhere you can trust. These guys are just marketing to you and use guilt tactics to keep you hooked.. SPEAKING OF GUILT TACTICS. All mail I've ever gotten from them has been in a sealed envelope except the last piece of mail I got. A POST card that everyone can read that says; hello we noticed you have not been contributing to 'said child' .. we reaaallly hope you pay us... ( not verbatim obviously ) I have been deceived... read more

I am on my 6th year sponsoring 2 kids in Brazil. I can't say enough how wonderful this organization is. The communication with kids is steady and easy through their app. I used to be able to send stickers, etc through the mail but I find it easier to just give a small gift (you can do as little as $10) and the church in the child's country together with the parents go and buy what the kid wants/chooses to. Their customer service is very good too. read more

Please do your research when participating in sponsorship programs as not all are honest. I decided to leave my review here instead of offering the feedback for the company to right their wrongs. I've always been hesitant with sponsorship programs as I fear the help doesn't get received to the recipient as promised. I decided to take my son to a compassion tour located in my city as a way to show my child the importance of being appreciative and grateful for the things he has. As we embarked on the tour we were greeted at the end by "sales" individuals who preached to me and my son about why we need to sponsor a child. In the end I chose to sponsor a little girl in Tanzania. When I left out, I prayed and asked God see my heart and should this organization have any acts of lying, cheating, stealing, etc. please allow it to be revealed to me. I placed all feelings of concern and doubt into Gods hands at this point and decided to embrace the experience and give this little girl whatever was needed to live a prosperous life. I wrote my sponsored child a letter 5/4/19 and read that it could take weeks or months to receive a letter from your child. On 5/10/19 I received a letter from my sponsored child. When I say I was excited, I literally dropped everything I was doing to open this letter. I gathered my son so he could be apart of this special moment. I cried when I finally opened it but was quickly met with anger and disappointment. Something stuck out to me that even with the benefit of the doubt couldn't be dismissed. The letter was dated a whole entire year prior. I told my son,"maybe she accidentally wrote the wrong date." My son (who is 12 ) says, "Mom, It's not realistic to be off that much." I still gave it the benefit of the doubt, but realized I was being lied to because when I sponsored my child, Compassion Internationals pamphlet stated she was 6 not 5 according to the letter. I realized I was being scammed and I immediately call customer service. The lady that I spoke with was really nice and she could not even say anything or explain when confronted. She asked if they could investigate why and I told her first impressions are lasting impressions. No need to investigate, God did it for me. I did not put this information on your feedback questionnaire bc I didn't want you to fix the problem by making sure you add a QC sector to your process. I wanted my feedback to be viewed on this platform so that you can fix the problem by being honest. I also wanted people to be aware of what they are possibly dealing with. My money will be going to St. Jude Children's Hospital and through my own personal giving in my area. Don't have time to pay your paychecks and make you millionaires off the lies and dishonesty. read more

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This is a beautiful campus and seems to be a very well-run organization. I took a tour with my kids and loved it. There's free coffee, very informative exhibits and a thorough explanation of how things are run. We've supported a child through compassion for many years and it is been an overall good experience! The staff are friendly and hard-working! read more

I have been with Compassion International since January 1991... 3 children later... and I can say it is the best way to help a child in need. I went to Honduras to Visit our current child and the experience was the most memorable one I have had... which includes a 3 week trip to New Zealand, Australia, and Tahiti- bora bora . Getting those hugs from a truly genuine child that I have been writing letters to for a long time is life changing. Compassion International gets 10 stars from me and my wife. read more

We have returned to our usual excellent experience in sponsoring multiple children. We are once again getting hand written letters, and we feel that we are making a genuine positive connection. My husband and I are honored to be a part of releasing children from poverty. read more

The best decision i have made in a long time has been to become a part of a child's life with Compassion. Sponsoring a child has been heavy on my heart for many years and I am so proud to be a part of a community with such amazing hearts of love and caring. Getting letters from my child is the most rewarding and full filling feeling. This company is spreading God's word and love to everyone in need around the world! This company has been a blessing to my life! read more

compassion.com I love Compassion International, and I'm glad that my review won't lower the overall rating (I have to keep it real, though, by giving 4 stars). http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/compassion-international-colorado-springs?select=3elWZsLh8AxlJkz3pmu_Wg#3elWZsLh8AxlJkz3pmu_Wg: Ana is from Peru. I've been sponsoring her since she was 4. One of my best friends gave me a book over 10 years ago (Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven). After reading it, I was moved to join Compassion International (Rich was a big supporter of the organization). I'm very lucky. I hear from Ana at least 6 times a year (sponsors are only promised to hear from their child 2 times a year). Her letters always make me smile. I truly view Ana as "my girl" (I have a son, and my wife and I will probably never have a daughter). The payments that I make go a long way (by the way, I free myself from focusing on money by paying for a whole year all at once). Ana isn't just fed well, but she goes to school, is taught the Bible, and takes part in a Project (I believe only birthday and Christmas money is used on clothing). Ana loves to tell me about all the things she learns. I think the Christmas money I give is used to help other kids too (birthday money is only spent on Ana). That's more than fine with me. Kudos: I was forgetful this year. I made my yearly payment at the last minute. The website was acting up when I paid, and so I was charged $384 twice. I wasn't too bugged (I have no plans to stop sponsoring Ana- children can be sponsored until they turn 18), but I received a phone call the next day. In the message she left, the staff member told me that she viewed the extra charge as a mistake. She made it clear that I was only going to be charged once, and that I should only call them if THAT was a mistake. Very few organizations are that on top of things (it's nice that I didn't have to do anything to rectify the situation). The website is easy to use and full of information. I receive a few emails a year. Many of them feature nice videos. I also receive some newsletters each year. They have helped me to learn more about the organization and about Peru. Along with being given info, sponsors are thanked a lot and given some encouragement. The stationery that Ana uses changed a number of months ago. It's more helpful now. That is, I'm told more about what she does and what she likes. This makes interacting with her richer and more personal. Sponsors can receive Compassion Magazine and Compassion Explorer Magazine for free. The former is available by mail, online, or through an iPad. I'm regularly provided with stationery by mail, but I mainly like to send Ana letters online. There are many templates to choose from (because Ana is a girl, I sometimes choose a girly one). You can also send photos. The translators are quite solid (the first one that Ana had was even friendly- I heard from her a bit too). I know enough Spanish to know that Ana's letters are translated accurately. From time to time, I receive current photos of Ana. I can also see how much she's growing and changing from what's posted online. I was given the drawing of another child once (Ana, by the way, can really draw well now). I felt bad for their sponsor, but didn't really know how to return the drawing. I'm used to the following (in other words, I don't really view them as a big deal), but I still have to list them as negatives. -I've been asked to sponsor an older child a number of times. I understand that there's a great need (it's natural for people to want to sponsor really young and "cute" children), but I feel like I'm being bugged at this point (I would have sponsored another child already if I was going to). I'm now being asked to visit Peru, and I assume that I'll be asked more regularly now. -It takes 2 or 3 months for letters to reach Ana and vice versa (the letters I send online have to be translated too). Part of this has to do with her living so far away. (3/10/17: Letters are now scanned and processed quickly. I currently sponsor 2 girls, and I receive the letters from them online. A week later, the letters reach me by mail. Interacting with Angshelly and Suelen is easier now.) -The rate has gone up twice since I've been a sponsor. It's currently $32/month, and it will increase to $38/month starting 2/1/14. On the plus side, there's not a lot of overhead. Some Notes: There are guidelines in terms of the letters (for example, it wouldn't be cool if I told Ana about all my possessions). Gay men and women are certainly allowed to be sponsors, but the organization doesn't allow a gay lifestyle to be promoted in letters (maybe it goes without saying, but Compassion International is a Christian organization). Becoming a sponsor has changed my life. I applaud Compassion International for the wonderful work that they do. read more

Compassion International - Ana. She's 12 now (she's 4 in the photo). - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Colorado Springs, Colorado

We've been sponsoring a girl in Africa for the past 12+ years. I admit we were inconsistent in our letter writing so when we got back formalized letters it was what we deserved. But my problem with compassion was when I submitted a letter through their website last July for our child's 18th birthday. I went back today to check on the progress of this letter only to see that it had never been translated. After chatting with an on-line representative I was told our letter got 'stuck in the system' and I would have to write another letter or resend it as they were incapable of forwarding the letter from a user account. I don't see what is so hard about searching a database for the letter, printing it out to mail it, or to scan it back into the computer to send along. But this is the problem with almost every corporation, customer service is a lost art. Just the minimal of work with multiple apologies is what you get instead of any real work. read more

I found out about Compassion International 5 or so years ago, and decided to sponsor a child from India. It's a small monthly commitment (a little over $30), and it is amazing how far that money can go toward helping a child (and sometimes his/her entire family). It's probably less a month than what most people spend at Starbucks, but it can make a world of difference. My sponsor child is named Sri, and over the past 5 years, we have written letters back and forth several times a year. She sends drawings, and I get a yearly picture of her, and I send her pictures too. I've been able to learn so much from her about her life there, and her cultural practices and education. One great thing about Compassion International is that you can take a trip to meet the child you are sponsoring, and you can see up close what the money is doing in that village/area if that is something you are interested in. I have not been able to go yet, but a friend of mine went to see her sponsor child, and said it was a life-changing experience. She was able to share how the village has better sanitation practices, cleaner drinking water, better access to vaccinations and health care, etc. Overall, a great organization. read more

I have done my research on your organization, even before I chose to sponsor a child, and have become skeptical of the positive reviews that have been received. I have written two letters to my sponsored child, the first being in January 2023, and as of now it still shows they are both still "in translation." I'm not sure how long it takes to translate a simple letter but I am quickly running out of patience as this pattern of service appears to coincide with the negative reviews I have seen in terms of customer service. I was very excited for the opportunity to sponsor a child in need and have always wanted to do this but as of now I am not seeing any verification that my sponsorship is being appropriately used in the manner in which it is intended. I wrote an email regarding this issue and have yet to hear back from anyone. I called about 10 minutes ago and was told their system had had "technical difficulties." So the "system" translates letters? I'm really confused. I'm only gonna participate a little while longer since I have no guarantee this isn't a scam. read more

Had a reservation and waited in line 30 mins. When it was finally my turn, they told me I was in the wrong line and to get into the reservation line to wait another 30 mins with 3 small children... staff members were very unorganized read more

I'm sponsoring a child in Honduras. I'm sure $5 is a good meal? Just wonder why the CEO enriches himself with a $400,000/year income if he is "Compassionate"? Just curious. Has he "created" any "wealth" for the program? This seems like this should be a job that just gives the CEO a comfortable income....not a lavish one. read more

My husband and I have sponsored several children in various countries over the last 18 years. All of them were very delightful to write back and forth to and seemed genuinely engaged in keeping up communications with their letters and included drawings. It was wonderful to hear of the future plans as they graduated from the program. My issue with them was from witnessing a program in action and its impact on the community. This took place in Haiti in a community school. A portion of the school building was taken up by Compassion Admins - this was supposed to be the indoor computer lab - now no room for the lab. Also please note - most of this school has makeshift outdoor classes still. The small dirt play yard had about a third of it sectioned off for the Compassion kids to use: it was surrounded with a locked metal fence and had nice new metal swings and a metal slide. The top of this area was also wired off. All of it locked up 90% of the time. And to top this off, it was placed in front of a public well which made the community have to walk over the uneven ground from constructing this monstrosity in the first place. The few kids benefiting from the program were out weighed by creating a huge negative impact on those not in the program by exclusion and creating a hazard to those in need of water access. I complained to Compassion HQ and the response was that each community puts its own management locally. I am waiting for the last child we support to graduate but will support them no more. read more

It is a scam. I wrote the President of Compassion and he was not professional or Christian enough to respond. I tried to Cancel numerous times and I was told several times it was done. I got a new charge today. I asked for all the money back as I was scammed. The letters from my adoptive child, WERE NOT FROM MY CHILD. This is fraud and a scam using Religion and Christianity to scam people. Very sad. Santiago "Jimmy" Mellado does not respond to letters or complaints. Avoid this charity and sponsor local charities in your area. read more

I have been sponsoring a child for a couple years. I asked to send a present directly to my child and was told I could not. My child said he would like a BIble so I inquired as to where to send it, they said that I could not but I could send money to their Bible fund and they decide who gets Bibles or Scripture..They decide who gets my money, so I really wasn't sponsoring a child as much as sponsoring their program, which is not what I bought into. Suggestion, find missionaries supported by your church and support their work instead. Many other children you can help directly. read more

Great organization to help children from impoverished nations. My family sponsors two children whom we write to the children and we receive their letters as well. Compassion International makes a great effort to establish communication with your sponsoring child and through their online system or physical letter. This organization gives 80% to the churches that your child is connected to in order to provide meals, Bible teaching, education and financial assistance. The rest of 20% is used for administration and salaries for their staff. In addition, they also provide tours, at the administration building, in Colorado Springs. These tours are free of charge and very educational and informative. Great organization that focuses on the compassion of Jesus and spreading the gospel of salvation. read more

I've been sponsoring children with Compassion for close to 10 years now. I would like to address some of the expectations about letter-writing and receiving since that seems to be what many negative reviews are about. In my experience, you receive mostly form-type letters from younger children (10 and under). Writing is a difficult skill that takes time to develop. I remember being a child and how big of a deal it was to write one whole paragraph. I imagine that for these children it is the same, so they need a little bit more guidance which is what the form questions give them. Often times, younger children receive help from adults in composing the letters, so sometimes there will be expressions of gratitude that come from that adult included. This makes sense since the child is young and receiving assistance with their letters. If you are someone who would like to have more of a back and forth letter writing relationship with the child you sponsor, I would suggest sponsoring an older child (11+). At this age, the children are more developmentally ready to take on the task of letter-writing. However, even with older children, I have noticed that it usually takes about a year before the letters become more of a conversation. This isn't something that can be rushed. Sponsorship should be looked at as a long-term relationship that will be built over years of letter exchanging. read more

Today I received my 2nd letter from my sponsored child in Bangladesh. I admit, I was a bit disappointed as there are never questions answered, just a form letter. I have only been a sponsor for eight months so, I seriously researched Bangladesh and their culture, that alone explains SO much! I am from the USA, we are used to smiles and laughter from children, in Bangladesh, no smiles are considered a sign of being mature (so sad) but it is a different culture. I will continue to support my child there and I will view the response thru their culture and Thank God He chose the USA for my birth place! I think Compassion International has a heart for the children and they are willing to wade thru red tape we have no idea of. Thank you CI for making a way to help children in nations like Bangladesh. read more