Many Compassion supporters know that we currently serve over 2 million children around the world who are registered in our holistic child development program. But we’re excited to share a new number with you today.

Local Compassion centres have shifted their approach to programming through the pandemic to provide emergency support to children and their families, even as they also continue to provide the regular aspects of our child development program to sponsored children as much as possible in modified capacities.

We’re excited to share that Compassion’s COVID-19 response has impacted over 8 million individuals and provided over 250 million meals to families in need.

Here are the things our COVID-19 response has provided to children and families living in poverty (April 2020 to May 2021):

  • 15 million emergency food packs, including the aforementioned 250+ million meals
  • 4 million hygiene kits to help prevent the spread of COVID-19
  • 422,500 unconditional cash transfers to help families being pushed deeper into poverty because of the pandemic
  • 5 million individuals provided with access to medical care

Our response efforts have also provided increased child protection training for caregivers and Compassion staff, counselling and mental health support, education and remote learning support, housing and rent assistance, and spiritual care.

READ MORE: Visit Compassion’s COVID-19 Updates page for regular regional and country-specific updates about the pandemic and our response.

Experts estimate that upwards of 131 million people are being pushed into extreme poverty because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. These are staggering numbers unlike anything we’ve seen in decades.

Three young siblings sit on a step in front of their home.

But thanks to the generosity of Canadians, we are doing something about it. Our local church partners are equipped to respond with urgency, care and consistency. Compassion’s local church partners are in this for the long haul: for the immediate response and recovery and to help children, youth and families build resiliency for the future.

We’re so thankful for the impact we’ve had together. And we’re just getting started.

WATCH: An update on our COVID-19 response efforts from Compassion International’s Senior Vice President of Global Program, Sidney Muisyo

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Join us in doing good, right now.

I want to do good!

Alyssa Esparaz

Alyssa Esparaz

Alyssa is Compassion Canada's Manager of Content and Public Relations, telling stories that inspire and equip Jesus followers to live compassionate lifestyles. She is a recent graduate of the University of Toronto, where she studied International Development.