Wollongong's Vietnamese residents know what it's like to go through tough times and now they are reaching out to the victims of the Nepal earthquake.

The community, which only numbers about 600, raised more than $17,000 for St Vincent de Paul Society's Nepal earthquake relief in less than two weeks.

The money was raised at a buffet dinner and auction at Fairy Meadow Community Centre on May 16. On May 21, representatives of the Vietnamese community presented a cheque for $17,186 to Vinnies Wollongong central council president Denis Walsh and co-ordinator Edna Wilson.

Vietnamese Community in Wollongong president Teresa Tran said their members donated and cooked all the food for the dinner, which about 115 people attended.

"We also have to acknowledge the contribution from Quan Tran and the Illawarra Indo Chinese Aged Group and Nga Quach, who cooked the food," Ms Tran said.

"Most of us came here as refugees in the late 70s and we always remind ourselves how lucky we are to be given a second chance to live in Australia.

"It's very important to give back to Australia, to show our appreciation and gratefulness to Australia. It's important to come together and show our compassion and solidarity to the victims of Nepal."

Ms Tran said it was not the only time the Vietnamese community had helped out during natural disasters.

"Whenever there's a crisis around the world - the Japan earthquake, the Haiti earthquake. Recently the bushfires in the Blue Mountains, we organised a dinner straight away.

"We are a small community, but large in spirit." Ms Tran said they had a close connection to Vinnies, which supported Vietnamese refugees with food and clothes when they arrived in Wollongong and they had not forgotten their kindness.

Mr Walsh was thrilled with the Vietnamese community's donation, which was the largest Vinnies had received in Wollongong.

"It's absolutely fantastic to raise that money in 10 days," he said.