Jesus made it clear that God has a special love for children, and that we as His followers have a responsibility to care for children — both those near to us and those living far away. These days, there is a vast and growing number of organizations that help children in need and an equally vast (or even greater) number of ways that you can get involved personally.
Whether you’re looking to help children locally or abroad, it’s important that you choose the right organizations to partner with so you can be assured that your time, money, and energy are truly making a difference.
To help you choose wisely, we’ve highlighted some of the top organizations that help children around the globe and some different ways you can get involved with their missions.
Compassion International
Compassion International is perhaps one of the most well-known organizations that helps children through child sponsorship programs. With a monthly contribution, you can directly support a child living in poverty by providing them with basic necessities such as food, education, healthcare, and more.
Compassion International also allows you to build a relationship with your sponsored child by writing letters or even visiting the child.
In addition to child sponsorship, you can join Compassion International’s efforts through one-time donations, volunteer opportunities, and participation in events such as their Winter Jam concert.
World Vision
Like Compassion International, World Vision is another one of many organizations that help children through sponsorship. By partnering with locally-based staff, the organization aims to improve life not just for each individual child, but also for that child’s entire community.
You can join World Vision’s efforts by sponsoring a child, helping connect children with sponsors, making donations, volunteering, or helping with their programs for churches, Christian schools, and other organizations.
Convoy of Hope
Convoy of Hope is one of the nonprofit organizations that help children — and people of all ages — in need, whether that need be hunger, disaster relief, women’s empowerment, or community support.
Specifically, Convoy of Hope’s children’s feeding program supplies children around the world with healthy meals at school, clean drinking water, and overall healthier educational environments.
You can join Convoy of Hope’s initiatives by donating, volunteering, or joining events as an individual or a group.
Samaritan’s Purse
Named for the parable of the good samaritan, Samaritan’s Purse is committed to helping people in need around the globe through whatever means possible. Among organizations that help children, they might be best known for their Operation Christmas Child project, which asks churches and individuals to fill a shoebox with gifts for a child in need at Christmas.
Some of their other initiatives for helping children include lifesaving medical procedures and discipleship courses.
Samaritan’s Purse welcomes involvement via donations and volunteer opportunities. It also encourages its supporters to connect their local churches with Samaritan’s Purse in order to organize larger-scale initiatives
How to Support Organizations that Help Children
Just as there are many organizations that help children around the world, there are also myriad ways you can personally get involved:
- Take direct, hands-on action by volunteering in areas impacted by natural disaster or poverty, or by working to improve the quality of life in your community.
- Contribute financially by sponsoring a child or donating to humanitarian initiatives.
- Help organize resources by connecting people and church or community groups with the right opportunities and organizations.
The size and nature of your donation truly do not matter. Each contribution, thoughtfully placed, makes this world a better place for every child who lives in it.
Looking for other ways to make a difference in the world? Visit Anchored Purpose Box to learn more and get involved.