1988 Olympian Jimmy Mellado on serving families in poverty with Compassion International

Jimmy Mellado is the president and CEO of Compassion International, which is a partner of Sports Spectrum as we help them release children from poverty.

Mellado is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, where he was a member of the Division 1 track and field championship team in 1983. He competed in the 1987 Pan American Games and the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, as a decathlete. Representing his birth nation of El Salvador, he set national records for the best performance in the decathlon, men’s high jump, 100-meter high hurdles and pole vault.

In 2013, Mellado was named CEO and President of Compassion. He has dedicated his life to helping children around the world who are living in poverty and providing them with hope and a way out.

On this episode of the podcast, Jimmy shares his experience participating at the 1988 Summer Olympics and his defining moment participating on sports' biggest stage. We then hear about how the pandemic has affected the work that Compassion does and the amazing pivot that Jimmy and his team made to help stand in the gap for children and their families affected by Covid. 

To donate and be a part of Compassion's Fill the Stadium campaign, check out FilltheStadium.com. 

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