Here are some of the best charities for children that focus on addressing various aspects of child welfare, such as health, education, food security, and protection. These charities are known for their transparency, impact, and dedication to improving the lives of children worldwide.
1. Save the Children
Save the Children is one of the most well-known organizations dedicated to improving the lives of children through education, healthcare, and emergency relief in over 100 countries.
- Focus: Child education, health, emergency response.
- Why it’s great: Save the Children has a global presence and makes a significant impact by addressing children’s immediate needs while working on long-term development projects.
- Example: Their programs provide education for millions of children in war zones and disaster-stricken areas.
How to support: Donate directly, sponsor a child, or contribute to emergency relief efforts.
2. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude provides cutting-edge research and treatment for children with catastrophic diseases such as cancer. No family ever receives a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or food, allowing them to focus on their child’s health.
- Focus: Pediatric healthcare, cancer research.
- Why it’s great: St. Jude is a leader in treating childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases, significantly improving survival rates through advanced research.
- Example: Their groundbreaking treatments for childhood cancer have helped increase the survival rate for many types of pediatric cancers to over 80%.
How to support: Donate directly or join St. Jude’s fundraising events like the St. Jude Walk/Run.
3. UNICEF
UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) works in over 190 countries and territories to ensure children’s rights are upheld, focusing on health, nutrition, education, and emergency relief.
- Focus: Global child welfare, health, and education.
- Why it’s great: UNICEF is one of the largest and most effective organizations working to ensure every child has access to basic needs like food, healthcare, and education.
- Example: UNICEF played a key role in distributing vaccines and providing emergency food during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How to support: Donate, fundraise, or advocate for children’s rights through UNICEF’s programs.
4. The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ youth, offering life-saving support through a 24/7 helpline, chat, and text services.
- Focus: LGBTQ+ youth mental health and crisis prevention.
- Why it’s great: The Trevor Project focuses on a vulnerable population that faces higher rates of suicide and mental health challenges, providing essential support and resources.
- Example: Thousands of LGBTQ+ youth have been helped through their crisis helpline, preventing suicide and connecting them to mental health services.
How to support: Donate to fund their helpline services or volunteer as a counselor.
5. Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC)
Ronald McDonald House Charities provides housing, meals, and support for families with critically ill children receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. This allows families to stay close to their children during medical care without the financial burden of hotels and food.
- Focus: Housing and care for families with sick children.
- Why it’s great: RMHC provides a “home-away-from-home” for families dealing with long-term medical treatments, removing financial stress so families can focus on their child’s health.
- Example: RMHC serves millions of families each year across its global network of Ronald McDonald Houses.
How to support: Donate directly, volunteer at a local Ronald McDonald House, or participate in fundraising events.
6. World Vision
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization that tackles poverty and injustice by providing food, clean water, healthcare, and education for vulnerable children worldwide. They also run a successful child sponsorship program.
- Focus: Child sponsorship, food, clean water, education.
- Why it’s great: World Vision’s child sponsorship program is a highly effective way to make a long-term impact on a child’s life, with a focus on holistic development.
- Example: By sponsoring a child, you help provide food, education, and healthcare, lifting the child and their family out of poverty.
How to support: Sponsor a child or donate to specific projects like clean water and hunger relief.
7. Together We Rise
Together We Rise is a nonprofit that supports children in the U.S. foster care system by providing essentials such as duffel bags, bicycles, and birthday boxes. They also offer scholarships and family reunification programs.
- Focus: Supporting children in foster care.
- Why it’s great: Together We Rise offers much-needed emotional and practical support to foster children, giving them a sense of normalcy and belonging.
- Example: Their “Sweet Cases” program replaces trash bags often used by children in foster care to transport their belongings with decorated duffel bags filled with personal care items.
How to support: Donate to fund duffel bags, bikes, or scholarships, or participate in their volunteer opportunities.
8. Children’s Defense Fund (CDF)
The Children’s Defense Fund advocates for policies and programs that lift children out of poverty, protect them from abuse and neglect, and ensure access to education and healthcare.
- Focus: Advocacy and policy change for child welfare.
- Why it’s great: CDF works at both the grassroots and national levels to address systemic issues that affect vulnerable children, advocating for their rights and well-being.
- Example: CDF’s advocacy has led to improvements in child healthcare, education reform, and anti-poverty measures that benefit millions of children.
How to support: Donate to support their advocacy work or join their action campaigns.
9. Compassion International
Compassion International is a child sponsorship organization that focuses on releasing children from poverty through education, healthcare, and spiritual development. The program connects children in need with sponsors who help provide for their basic needs.
- Focus: Child sponsorship, education, healthcare, and spiritual guidance.
- Why it’s great: Compassion International works with local churches to deliver personalized care, ensuring each child receives physical, emotional, and spiritual support.
- Example: Sponsoring a child with Compassion International provides access to education, medical checkups, and food, helping them break the cycle of poverty.
How to support: Sponsor a child or make a one-time donation to their general fund.
10. Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a nonprofit that provides free, high-quality educational resources online, helping children around the world access math, science, and humanities lessons regardless of their socioeconomic background.
- Focus: Free online education.
- Why it’s great: Khan Academy offers a platform where millions of children can learn at their own pace, making education accessible and equitable.
- Example: Their platform is used in classrooms and homes globally, helping students improve their academic performance with free resources.
How to support: Donate to help keep their educational resources free for everyone.
Final Thoughts
Each of these charities for children is dedicated to improving the lives of children around the world, whether through healthcare, education, crisis intervention, or basic necessities. Choosing a charity that aligns with your values and interests will allow you to make a meaningful impact in a child’s life, both today and for their future.