£200,000 raised by Guardian and Observer readers five days into appeal | Charities

An incredible £200,000 has been donated already to our Cost of Living Crisis charity appeal by generous Guardian and Observer readers, just five days after the appeal was launched.

We are raising money for grassroots charities providing much-needed support services to people struggling at the frontline of the crisis, via our two charity partners, Citizens Advice and Locality.

Donations will go to local voluntary organisations working in some of the UK’s most deprived areas, which are providing crisis support ranging from food banks and warm rooms to debt and housing advice and mental health help.

As the Guardian’s editor-in-chief, Katharine Viner, wrote in her introduction to this year’s appeal: “This is now an emergency facing millions of people, many of whom have never found themselves in this position before.”

The appeal will run into the new year, with a series of articles over the next few weeks highlighting the work of our charities.

Look out for our popular appeal telethon on Saturday 17 December. Readers are able to call some of our best-known writers to donate, including Polly Toynbee, Owen Jones, John Crace, Marina Hyde and Zoe Williams.

More than 2,000 readers have already donated, with many donors using an option on the online donation page to send us a message explaining why they have chosen to give.

Many said they had been moved by the plight of so many people struggling with “heat or eat” dilemmas as energy bills soar and incomes are squeezed.

One wrote: “Let’s do everything we can to stop vulnerable people going hungry – it’s devastating that there are children going hungry in this country. We must all come together in any way possible to prevent this.”

Another wrote: “There are people who are having to make terrible decisions about spending that most of us just take for granted. It won’t just affect them today but also in the future with poorer physical and mental health and maybe lower life expectancy. It’s heartbreaking.”

Many felt donating was an expression of anger and frustration with a government that they felt had not done enough to support families on low incomes.

“As a relatively wealthy country, the UK should not have residents facing a choice of whether to feed their families or heat their homes,” one wrote.

For some it was about simple human compassion. “Times are hard and a little kindness is needed,” wrote one reader.