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It will also mark one year since Balmoral Village resident and president of the Balmoral Community Association Elizabeth Atkin evacuated to Mittagong - unsure if her house would still be standing after the fires.

It wasn't. All that remained on the property was a shed which Ms Atkin has called home for the last nine months.

Now 11 months after the fires, Ms Atkin will have a temporary home, complete with two bedrooms, a kitchenette and a bathroom and will be able to move out of her shed thanks to Habitat for Humanity.

"It's going to be really nice for Habitat to provide a nice place to live that I don't have to worry about. One of the great benefits is that I don't have to put in a DA for it because the whole process of getting a DA is a nightmare," she said.

"I lost my house, a great big machinery shed that was full of letterpress equipment, etching press for fine art printmaking, my two-car garage, my ute.

"Balmoral was hit by 10 different fire fronts over three days. The first 10 houses which were north of the village went on the 19th, and that's when I evacuated to Mittagong and my house went down on the 21st.

"My house didn't stand a chance. The downside was I didn't get a chance to turn the sprinklers on but I think I would rather have my life than stay and turn the sprinklers on."

Ms Atkin said she had a total loss of her home and despite having a shed and a caravan that was generously donated to her, she has been without a toilet and shower.

"So that's been challenging for the last nine months or so. I did stay in town for three months then came back to the village. I have generously been given the opportunity to use a bathroom down the road, so I have to jump in the car and go for a drive."

Ms Atkin became involved with Habitat for Humanity through a referral from the community recovery support team.

"They're a team of three girls employed for 12 months through Community Links Wellbeing. They've been working with a lot of people as a follow up in the recovery process," she said.

"Initially, straight after the emergency phase of the bushfires, Balmoral Village Hall provided the accommodation for the community recovery hub where people came to see the various services and charities to get food, clothes and support.

"They also got advice and lined themselves up for getting grants. Some of the services were Red Cross and St Vincent de Paul and Services NSW so people could apply for additional funds through the government."

A leading not-for-profit provider, Habitat for Humanity is renowned for providing houses for families in need. In Australia, Habitat has been closely involved in the response to natural disasters.

This includes their Bushfire Recovery Program which has provided affected families the assistance to build homes, clear land or in the case of Ms Atkin, provide suitable temporary accommodation.

Habitat for Humanity Australia has dedicated a large portion of their time and resources throughout 2020 to supporting their Bushfire Recovery Program with a focus on severely affected regions such as the Southern Highlands.

Project supervisor for the organisation Tom Alexander said that the Bushfire Recovery Program wasn't just for temporary accommodation.

Mr Alexander has helped numerous Southern Highlands residents through activity days organised by the Bushfire Recovery Program.

"We've had a lot of activity days to help people," he said.

"We have volunteers that come out and assist with any work we can do. That includes weeding, fencing, land clearing and log splitting.

"Basically anything we can start and finish in one day."

Habitat for Humanity Australia has supported 161 bushfire affected families, delivered 215 recovery days, and 420 volunteers engaged in 2020.

CEO of Habitat for Humanity said there were still families impacted by the fires that needed their help.

"As we face the potential threat of another bushfire season and we continue to battle COVID and its economic impact, having a safe place to call home is now more important than ever," she said.

To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit habitat.org.au or phone 1800 88 55 99

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