As the community rallied to assist families devastated by the bushfires, Russell Vale children Jack, six, and Clare Smith, 10, opened their wallets to help.
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Between them, the siblings donated $50 they had been given for Christmas.
"If we lost our house I know how we'd feel, and I feel sorry for the people who lost their houses," Clare said.
Mother Jenny said the community "only need a hint of something going on to get involved".
"You only need one or two people to do something and everyone (in the Russell Vale community) just comes together," she said.
"There's been lots of hugging and tears, and people really wanting to get in and help."
The Southern Highlands Bushfire Appeal was spawned by members of the 'Russell Vale Connect' Facebook group.
On Sunday, community volunteers were collecting and packing hampers at Cawley Park in Russell Vale.
Volunteers were inundated with non-perishable food items, toys, colouring-in books and crayons, gift cards, toiletries, nappies, money and more.
Seeing it on TV makes me feel horrible, and want to do something about it.
The volunteers were making arrangements to have the items distributed, fire conditions allowing, to the dozens of families who have lost their homes, as well as the firefighters.
The appeal was launched by one of the organisers, Gillian Bufton.
She said they had been "overwhelmed" by the generosity and community spirit by the few hundred people who donated.
"It's very touching, we have an amazing community here," she said.
"We're filling the tables and then clearing them. We can't keep up with the tables, we keep bringing in new tables."
Fairy Meadow's Sharon Rooke was volunteering on Sunday, helping sort through donations, as well as collecting gift cards and money so they can purchase essential items such as burn creams, saline and laundry liquids.
"It's amazing - I've been in tears so many times," she said.
"I just had someone give me a plastic bag with about 30 gift cards in it. From one person, that's amazing.
"I just wanted to help. I know people over there, and I know people in the Blue Mountains as well that have had to evacuate, and anything we can do is a good thing."
Another family who donated were the Crawfords from Woonona.
Mother Sarah said children Crosby, nine, and Scarlett, six, had donated some of their toys and books, as well as unopened Christmas chocolates.
"They thought some children who didn't have anything would be better off with them," Mrs Crawford said.
"People are struggling, they've lost their homes... It's hard for them to live in this environment," Crosby said.
"Seeing it on TV makes me feel horrible, and want to do something about it."
Ms Bufton said they may organise another appeal in the coming months to further assist those affected by the bushfires.
Other parts of the Illawarra have also rushed to support our firefighters.
Fire brigades throughout the Sydney metropolitan area, the Illawarra and Southern Highlands have been inundated with donations of items such as food, non-perishable items, water and energy drinks.
Feeling helpless in the face of the fires ravaging Wollondilly and the Southern Highlands, Daniel Bailey decided to collect donations from the car park of Berkeley Coles on Saturday morning.
Two hours later, he had three cars full of water, Gatorade, snacks and even pillows "for the legends to get a rest on", which he promptly ran up the mountain to give to RFS firefighters.
"These guys couldn't believe the haul we brought up to them," Mr Bailey said.
The Coles Illawarra team are also taking donations, to be dropped off from Picton down to Nowra, for firefighters and families who have been evacuated.
They have drop-off points at Oak Flats and Primbee.
Fire brigades in areas such as Cawdor, The Oaks, Oakdale, Balmoral and Bargo have publicly thanked their communities for their support and donation of items.
On Saturday, the Dapto Rural Fire Brigade posted on their Facebook page that they were "truly humbled and overwhelmed with the support you all have shown us over the past few weeks".
"We are still receiving messages by the minute with people wanting to donate goods," they posted.
"As a station we are going to have to stop taking food and supply donations for just a little bit to not only assess what we have received today but we are just so busy."