A charity that provides breakfasts to public-school students received $30,000 in donations after an appeal last month.Kelly Hunt, the executive director of the Coalition for the Protection of Children, said that the organisation received more donations than expected to help feed an increased number of children who might not be properly fed during the Covid-19 shutdown.She added: “We were just asking for $25 per person and that campaign took off.”Ms Hunt was speaking after the coalition started the 1000 Meals Campaign to help support its breakfast programme.The CPC feeding programme used to serve food to 750 children at 14 public schools, but switched to a door-to-door delivery system after the education system was shut down in mid-March.The 1000 Meals Campaign, which was spread through social media using #1000Meals Challenge, was launched on April 13 to help provide food for the increased number of vulnerable families.Ms Hunt explained: “Over the last few weeks we have seen an increase in clients seeking support due to temporary loss of employment, financial uncertainty and anxiety around what the immediate future will look like.”She said that the extra cash had allowed the coalition to deliver sufficient supplies to disadvantaged families. Ms Hunt added: “One $25 donation will feed one child for a period of two weeks and 100 per cent of the funds raised will go towards the purchase of food for the breakfast programme.”The families are given groceries and food vouchers, as well as recipes to create healthy meals that can make supplies last for about two weeks.Malisa Butterfield, who helps co-ordinate the West End breakfast programme from Sandys Middle School, said that she received an “adrenalin rush” every time she helped families in need. She added that any food that families no longer needed was often passed on to others.Ms Butterfield said: “I ran into one of the single dads I deliver to who’s raising his two boys and was able to give him something.“I even went down as far as Warwick because there’s this little boy and I know he’s in a family of five with a single mother.”She added: “People get so excited. They are just so grateful.”The coalition said: “On behalf of the families who are extremely appreciative to have this help, we want to thank each and every person who donated.“A small amount goes a long way and it really does have an impact.“Even if it was $25, to see such kindness during this difficult time is truly heart-warming.“It says that people believe in this programme, support our students, trust the organisation to deliver and, most importantly, that we can come together as a community when we need to.”