Compassion International#Compassion Australia
{{Short description|American humanitarian aid NGO, founded 1952}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Compassion International
| image = CompassionInternationalLogo.png
| caption =
| type = Christian child sponsorship non-profit organization
| tax_id = 36-2423707{{cite web|url=http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.irs&ein=362423707#.Ux5wp_ldVzI|title=Compassion International|publisher=Charity Navigator|access-date=March 10, 2014}}
| registration_id =
| founded_date = 1952
| founder = Everett Swanson
| location = Colorado Springs, Colorado
| coordinates =
| key_people = Santiago "Jimmy" Mellado (president and CEO)
| area_served = 27 countries across four continents
| expenses = Program Services:
US$ 813,929,000 (2020)
Support Activities:
US$ 185,251,000 (2020)
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}
Compassion International is an American child sponsorship and Christian humanitarian aid organization headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, that aims to positively influence the long-term development of children globally who live in poverty.
A 2013 independent research report, in the Journal of Political Economy, concluded that as of that time, Compassion International had large and statistically significant impacts on participants' years of school completion, the probability of later employment, and the quality of that employment, in part as a consequence of improved self-esteem and expectations in participating children.
History
The Everett Swanson Evangelistic Association was founded in 1952 by the Rev. Everett Swanson (member of Converge) to help children orphaned by war in South Korea.George Thomas Kurian, Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, Volume 5, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2016, p. 617 Swanson had traveled there to preach the gospel to the US Army troops, but during his visit he was deeply moved by the plight of the scores of abandoned children he saw. In 1953, he began to raise funds, and the next year he developed sponsorship programs to help support orphans for a few dollars a month.Victorien SAWADOGO, [http://www.lefaso.net/spip.php?article3643 ONG "Compassion international" : Soutenir 22 000 enfants défavorisés], lefaso.net, Burkina Faso, August 24, 2004 The name of the association changed to Compassion, Inc., in 1963, inspired by Jesus' words "I have compassion on the multitude. I will not send them away hungry" (Matthew 15.32).Katherine Marshall, Global Institutions of Religion: Ancient Movers, Modern Shakers, Routledge, Abingdon-on-Thames, 2013, p. 167 In 2022, it would be present in 27 countries.Compassion International, [https://www.compassion.com/about/about-us.htm THIS IS HOW WE WORK], compassion.com, USA, retrieved November 5, 2022 For example, see Compassion Suisse and [https://www.compassion.es/ Compassion Espagna]
Leadership
As of November 2019, the board chair of the organization was Judy Golz, and the president and CEO was Santiago Mellado.{{Cite web|url=http://www.compassion.com/board.htm|title=Board of Directors|website=www.compassion.com|access-date=November 27, 2019}} In 2019, Mellado's annual compensation was $419,184 according to the organization's IRS filings.{{Cite web |title=Form 990, Part VII |url=https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/362423707_201906_990_2020010316996116.pdf |website=IRS |page=15}}
Programs
Compassion helps those in impoverished areas, using a holistic approach to child development.Mae Elise Cannon, Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World, InterVarsity Press, USA, 2009, p. 153 This approach goes well beyond simply providing food and medical aid, involving education and training to prepare the individuals for contributing back to their communities.Jean Daniel Sénat, [https://lenouvelliste.com/public/article/168220/apres-20-ans-compassion-international-reoriente-son-programme-de-formation-en-leadership Après 20 ans, Compassion International réoriente son programme de formation en leadership], lenouvelliste.com, Haïti, February 13, 2017
The organization also helps in emergency situations and in the funding of health centers.Stephen Offutt, New Centers of Global Evangelicalism in Latin America and Africa, Cambridge University Press, UK, 2015, p. 125Le Nouvelliste, [http://lenouvelliste.com/lenouvelliste/article/122103/45-ans-aupres-des-plus-vulnerables-dHaiti.html 45 ans auprès des plus vulnérables d'Haïti], lenouvelliste.com, Haïti, October 4, 2013Stephanie Earls, [http://gazette.com/compassion-international-seeking-donations-to-support-ongoing-relief-in-haiti/article/1587763 Compassion International seeking donations to support ongoing relief in Haiti], gazette.com, USA, October 16, 2016
=Child sponsorship=
Children in the child sponsorship program are provided food and clean water, medical care, education, life-skills training, and spiritual guidance through a direct sponsorship. Sponsored children are selected by the sponsors from lists provided by the ministry, and two-way communication is encouraged between the sponsored child and the sponsor. {{As of|2023|11}} the cost to sponsor a child through Compassion was US$43 (£32){{Cite web |title=Sponsor a Child {{!}} Child Sponsorship |url=https://www.compassionuk.org/sponsorship/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=Compassion UK |language=en}} per month, and globally there were over two million babies, children, and young adults in its programs.{{cite web|url= https://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/ |title=Sponsor a Child in Extreme Poverty |publisher=Compassion.com |access-date=November 22, 2023}}
Sponsors are able to visit their sponsored children through trips planned by Compassion International. Compassion's goal is to provide a trip to each country every other year. Compassion coordinates every aspect of the trip, including travel, meals, tips and gratuities, fees related to the travel, and sightseeing fares.{{cite web|url=http://www.compassion.com/get-involved/trips-faq.htm#faq-tcm:5-456801 |title=Compassion Trips FAQ |publisher=Compassion.com |access-date=January 31, 2012}}
Evaluations
{{Update section|date=October 2023|reason=filled with 7-to-15-year-old information, but ratings and their reasons can change every year, as the charities adjust their activities}}
Compassion International is a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.{{cite web|url=https://www.ecfa.org/CharterMembers.aspx|title=Meet ECFA's Charter Members|publisher=ECFA|access-date=January 7, 2020}} {{As of|2025|June}}, it holds a grade of "A" from CharityWatch.{{cite web|author=Daniel Borochoff |url=http://www.charitywatch.org/toprated.html |title=American Institute of Philanthropy at |publisher=Charitywatch.org |date=February 20, 2008 |access-date=March 10, 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.charitywatch.org/ratings-and-metrics/compassion-international/172 |title=Ratings and Metrics: Compassion International at |publisher=Charitywatch.org |access-date=June 26, 2025}} {{As of|2025|February}}, it meets the "20 Standards for Charity Accountability" from the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance.{{cite web |url=https://give.org/charity-reviews/child-sponsorship/compassion-international-in-colorado-springs-co-9999-3017 |title=Compassion International charity review & reports by Give.org |publisher=give.org |access-date=June 26, 2025}}
In 2013, a primary research report in the Journal of Political Economy provided evidence in support of the conclusion that child sponsorship via Compassion International resulted in significant positive outcomes for the children in the study set.{{Citation | last1 = Wydick | first1 = Bruce | last2 = Glewwe | first2 = Paul | last3 = Rutledge | first3 = Laine | title = Does International Child Sponsorship Work? A Six-Country Study of Impacts on Adult Life Outcomes | journal = Journal of Political Economy | volume = 121 | issue = 2 | year = 2013 | pages = 1–8 | jstor = 10.1086/670138 |doi =10.1086/670138| citeseerx = 10.1.1.546.2784 | publisher = The University of Chicago | s2cid = 22131764 | author2-link = Paul Glewwe }}{{cite magazine |title= Want to Change the World? Sponsor a Child |author= Wydick, Bruce |magazine= Christianity Today |date=June 14, 2013 |url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/june/want-to-change-world-sponsor-child.html?paging=off |access-date=June 14, 2013 }} The research, by Bruce Wydick, Paul Glewwe, and Laine Rutledge, evaluated Compassion efforts in six countries, with 10,144 children studied, reporting "large, statistically significant impacts on years of schooling; primary, secondary, and tertiary school completion; and the probability and quality of employment." They went on to note that the evidence, while early, "suggest[ed] that these impacts are due, in part, to increases in children’s aspirations."Specifically, the study concluded, "the Compassion child sponsorship program increases years of completed schooling by 1.03–1.46 years over a baseline of 10.19 years and increases the probability of primary school completion by 4.0–7.7 percentage points (baseline 88.7 percent), secondary school completion by 11.6–16.5 percentage points (baseline 44.9 percent), and university completion by 2.1–2.4 percentage points (baseline 4.3 percent)... [and found] impacts of 5.1–6.3 percentage points on the probability of salaried employment in adulthood and a 6.5–6.7 percentage point increase in the probability of white-collar employment, as well as modest evidence for causal impacts on community and church leadership." See Wydick, Glewwe & Rutledge (2013), op.cit.
Through 2015, Compassion International had received Charity Navigator's highest rating for 15 consecutive years, thereby receiving special recognition on their "10 Charities with the Most Consecutive 4-Star Ratings" list.{{cite web|title=4 Stars for 15 Years in a Row|url=http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=topten.detail&listid=100|website=Charity Navigator|access-date=April 1, 2016}} However, Charity Navigator changed its rating system in 2016,{{cite web|url=https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=2200|title=Rating System Evolution|publisher=Charity Navigator|access-date=January 7, 2020}} and Compassion International's 2016 overall rating dropped to three stars out of four, for its accountability and transparency.{{cite web|url=http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3555|title=Page at charitynavigator.com|publisher=Charitynavigator.org |access-date=July 28, 2016}}
In 2024, Compassion was ranked the 12th-largest charity organization in the US by Forbes magazine, with $1.3 Billion in private donations received.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/compassion-international/?list=top-charities|title=Compassion International Company Overview|publisher=forbes.com|access-date=June 26, 2025}}
=Shutdown in India=
Compassion operated in India for 48 years, with $45 million in transfers annually, making it India's largest single foreign donor.{{cite news |last1=Barry |first1=Ellen |last2=Raj |first2=Suhasini |date=March 8, 2017 |title=Major Christian Charity Is Closing India Operations Amid a Crackdown |pages=A4 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/07/world/asia/compassion-international-christian-charity-closing-india.html |access-date=March 9, 2017}} Compassion provided services under its Child Sponsor Program to 145,000 Indian children. In 2015, Compassion affiliates' offices were raided by tax investigators seeking evidence on whether it was funding religious conversions. Compassion said that attempts were made to force the ministry to divert funding to non-Christian Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh groups. Compassion refused to do so as it would be a misuse of funds entrusted to them by donors around the world. After talks back and forth, in 2017 the BJP-led Indian government barred Compassion from transferring funds into India, forcing the group to close its operations there. The Ministry of External Affairs later stated that the ban had nothing to do with the ideology of Compassion International.{{cite news |last1=Zeera |first1=Rosheena |date=March 9, 2017 |title=No 'Ideological' Reason Behind Compassion International Ban: MEA |work=The Quint |url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/compassion-international-foreign-us-ngo-blames-rss-ideology-mea-responds |access-date=August 31, 2017}}
=Lack of Financial Transparency=
Since 2019, Compassion stopped releasing a public Form 990 after reclassifying itself as a religious organization, or "an association of churches."{{Cite web |last=Roberts |first=Andrea Suozzo, Alec Glassford, Ash Ngu, Brandon |date=2013-05-09 |title=Compassion International Incorporated - Nonprofit Explorer |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/362423707 |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=ProPublica |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Compassion International, Inc. - GuideStar Profile |url=https://www.guidestar.org/profile/36-2423707 |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=www.guidestar.org}} Reclassification has been noted by several Christian ministry watchdogs as a growing trend among large Christian ministries.{{Cite web |title=Ministry Spotlight: Compassion International – MinistryWatch |url=https://ministrywatch.com/ministry-spotlight-compassion-international/ |access-date=2024-09-12 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Pete |date=2020-07-04 |title=Warning Signs When Reviewing Church or Ministry Financial Statements |url=https://trinityfi.org/investigations/warning-signs-when-reviewing-church-or-ministry-financial-statements/#:~:text=Donors%20need%20accurate%20financial%20data%20to%20make%20informed,as%20churches%20to%20avoid%20filing%20a%20Form%20990. |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=Trinity Foundation |language=en}} As a result, Compassion's Donor Confidence Score fell from 97 to 73 on MinistryWatch, and the organization is no longer rated on Charity Navigator due to the lack of Accountability & Finance beacon.{{Cite web |title=Compassion International, Inc. - MinistryWatch |url=https://db.ministrywatch.com/ministry.php?ein=362423707 |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=db.ministrywatch.com}}{{Cite web |title=Compassion International {{!}} Charity Navigator Profile |url=https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/362423707 |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=www.charitynavigator.org |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
{{Portal|Evangelical Christianity|}}
Category:1952 establishments in the United States
Category:Charities based in Colorado
Category:Children's charities based in the United States
Category:Christian charities based in the United States
Category:Evangelical Christian humanitarian organizations
Category:Evangelicalism in Colorado
Category:Organizations based in Colorado Springs, Colorado