FAQs

Save the Children International is the world’s largest independent global movement for children. A rights-based organization, Save the Children International is a federation of 30 national organizations and operational programs in 117 countries.

Our team builds local, regional, and global partnerships to establish a broader movement to save and improve children’s lives. We work collaboratively to support and implement children’s rights.

Wherever possible, we partner with local organizations, communities, government bodies and international organizations — these partnerships help ensure effectiveness and lasting success of the programs we help implement.

In many countries, Save the Children International works with coalitions of children’s rights organizations to develop awareness of children’s rights. We are also piloting a variety of methods to enable children to participate more actively in decisions that affect them.

Advocacy plays a critical role. We lobby governments, the international community and members of society to highlight failures in public policy and private practice that represent violations of children’s rights. We promote awareness and action as a key custodian of children’s rights, sharing the responsibility to fight for their recognition and defense.

Our organization works in 117 countries, including Canada.
Find out Where We Work.

There are historical reasons why we work in particular countries and not in others. In some cases, our long-term development programs arise out of experience in one part of the world which leads to similar projects being set up in other countries with similar needs (such as our education work with Indigenous children).

We have limited resources and must steward those resources with great care. We strive to identify, develop and spread examples of best practices to maximize the impact of our work throughout the world.

Our team at Save the Children Canada is part of the Save the Children International, which is a partnership of 30 member organizations working in nearly 120 countries.

As a member of the Humanitarian Coalition, we work with a large number of other local and international partners, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and government departments. Our team strives to help children by co-operating with and influencing other organizations, service providers, and decision-makers. We aim to provide models of good practice that can be adopted by those in a position to make a lasting difference.

We support programs around the world. The total number of children who have benefited is in the millions. For our full impact, read our latest Annual Report.

Monthly donations provide Save the Children with a dependable source of funding which supports and sustains our programs in more than 100 countries around the world. Monthly gifts allow Save the Children to plan ahead, to respond immediately in a crisis and build lasting programs that empower children and communities.

We are grateful for your generous support and helping to make a meaningful difference for children. While we kindly ask for a minimum one-year or more commitment to help us plan and sustain our life changing global programs, we fully understand that circumstances may change.

You’re always in control of your giving. If you ever need to reduce, pause, or cancel your ongoing donation, simply provide notice at least 10 days before your scheduled withdrawal date. Our Donor Care Team is here to support your request and can be reached at 1-800-668-5036 (Press 1 from the main menu). Thank you again for being part of this important work.

While we’re grateful for every donation (including those directed to a specific country, cause or emergency), we encourage unrestricted donations as the most effective way to support our work. Specifically, these donations help reduce administrative costs and give us the flexibility to respond quickly in an emergency, directing funds to where the need is greatest. Unrestricted donations also ensure that no program is over- or under-funded at Save the Children, allowing us to deliver lasting impact for children and communities worldwide.

Thank you for thinking of us with this generous offer. At this time, due to the high shipping costs, we’re currently unable to accept non-monetary donations. If you’re still interested in supporting our work and it’s feasible for you, you may consider selling the items and donating the proceeds to Save the Children. We appreciate your support.

Save the Children is a federally registered charity – our charity registration number is 10795 8621 RR0001. We issue official tax receipts for all donations of $20 or more. Tax receipts of this amount or greater will be issued to you automatically. We can also provide tax receipts for smaller amounts upon request.

Monthly and quarterly donors will receive one consolidated tax receipt each February, covering all ongoing donations made during the previous year. Annual donors will receive their tax receipt in February as well.

Monthly and quarterly donors receive a consolidated tax receipt each February, covering all donations from the previous year. Annual donors also receive their receipt in February.

However, if you have moved recently and have not updated your address with us, your tax receipt may have been mailed to your previous home address. We are happy to update your contact information and resend or reissue your tax receipt – kindly contact our Donor Care Team at 1-800-668-5036 (Press 1 from the main menu) for support.

Save the Children has a proven track record of using donations efficiently and effectively, ensuring maximum impact for children who urgently need our help. Over the past 3 years, an average of 84.6% of our expenditures has been directed to our life changing global programs. Please see our Annual Report 2024 for a detailed financial breakdown of our work.

A small portion of the funds we raise goes toward essential administrative, staffing, and fundraising costs. For Save the Children, fundraising is an investment that helps us engage new supporters and strengthen relationships with existing donors. This ensures that Save the Children can continue our critical work to protect and support children and communities worldwide.

Yes, we are proud to partner with trusted fundraising organizations across Canada to help raise awareness about our work and inspire ongoing support for Save the Children. Our current partners — Public Outreach, SunSpark, and GiveBridge, — have fundraisers active in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. To ensure legitimacy and keep your payment information safe, our fundraisers never accept cash donations.

By choosing to make an ongoing donation through a fundraiser, you are making an impact for children today as well as helping to create lasting change for them in the future. Learn more about Face to Face Fundraising at Save the Children.