Consumers Face Tough Choices Between Charitable Giving and Gift Giving

Compassion International and Christian Book Distributors Partner to Fight Global Poverty While Helping Families Manage Their Holiday Budget

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Nov. 17, 2008—In an effort to alleviate the plight of children in poverty around the world and aid American families challenged to stretch every holiday dollar in today's tough economic times, Compassion International - the world's leading Christian child development organization - is partnering with Christian Book Distributors - the world's largest distributor of Christian products.

With the Christmas season bringing awareness to those less fortunate, Christian Book Distributors and Compassion have created a unique partnership to allow holiday shoppers to experience the joy of giving in a special way this Christmas season.  All who sign up to sponsor a Compassion International child online before Dec. 31, 2008, will receive a $25 gift card to Christianbook.com.  The gift card can then be given away or used to shop for those loved ones on your Christmas gift list.

"We recognize the need to help children in poverty globally and are thrilled to partner with Compassion International because of their dedication to deliver humanitarian aid to children through the church," said Ray Hendrickson, president and chief executive officer of Christian Book Distributors.  "We chose to partner with Compassion because the organization uniquely offers a combination of practical assistance to needy children coupled with sharing the Gospel."

"During the Christmas season, it is important to remember the message of God's enduring love for each of us and his mandate to help those in need," said Dr. Wess Stafford, president and chief executive officer of Compassion International.  "When Christians partner with Compassion, together we free children from the devastating effects of poverty and allow them to become fulfilled Christian adults and leaders in their countries."

With three programs to address the individual stages of a child's development, Compassion International works to release children from poverty in 25 of the poorest countries in the world.

"It is unfortunate that poverty has taught these children that they are helpless and ‘disposable,'" continued Stafford.  But Compassion intervenes as a holistic child development organization, and works with churches and Christians to personally encourage and support these children in their growth, development and success.

Since 1952, Compassion International has touched the lives of more than 1.8 million children.  As one of the world's largest holistic child development organizations, Compassion International works with more than 65 denominations and 4,729 indigenous church partners to serve more than 1 million children in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.  Compassion tackles global poverty one child at a time by meeting physical, social, economic and spiritual needs.  Compassion International's programs range from prenatal care to infant survival efforts to individual child sponsorship to assistance with college education and job placement.  In addition, Compassion's Crisis Intervention program provides immediate assistance to international communities devastated by natural disasters.  Compassion has been recognized for its financial integrity by America's largest charity evaluator, Charity Navigator, earning seven consecutive, four-star ratings.  www.Compassion.com

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