People have such big hearts, it is overflowing their home, said brothers Shann and Jonathan Israel.

“We have so much, it's physically piling up in the dining room,” said 10-year-old Shann, an Evans City Middle School fifth-grader, excitedly about the donated goods that filled his house and the home of a family friend. “The drive is going to help our grandparents in the Bahamas in Freeport and the whole island.”

Shann and his 9-year-old brother Jonathan, a Connoquenessing Valley Elementary School fourth-grader, started a supply drive that runs through Wednesday at the Seneca Valley School District to collect donations for Hurricane Dorian victims and their family who live in the Bahamas, said Shannon Israel, their mother.

From towels and deodorant to brushes and bandages, Shann said they have collected a little bit of everything.

Donations — including nonperishable items such as food, clothes, hygiene products, water and cleaning supplies — are accepted from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Evans City Middle School and at the family home at 462 Little Creek Road in Harmony. Email Shannon Israel at chefshannonilrael@yahoo.com for more information or to ask about a scheduled pickup.

Hurricane Dorian is the strongest hurricane on record to have hit the Bahamas — and one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, according to news reports. The September storm caused extensive flooding that damaged homes and infrastructure on the northwest islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama, as well as widespread power outages.

Shannon Israel's husband Bernard's immediate family, including his mother, father and siblings, live in Freeport.

Freeport is the main city on Grand Bahama, an island in the northwest Bahamas off the Florida coast,

When Israel asked her children what they thought would help, they came up with the idea for a supply drive that could benefit the whole island, she said. That is when they came across the company Tropics that partnered with Carnival Cruise Line to transport the goods.

Although her family has not been to the Bahamas in 10 years, their relatives on the island make the trip to Pennsylvania, Israel said.

“When I saw the pictures that the family sent and the news, I just broke down,” Israel said. “I know what those buildings used to look like. I can't believe that's happening there.”

Shann said their grandfather, who is a pastor, is staying at his church in the aftermath of the hurricane.

The family is lucky to be alive, Israel said, which is what she explained to her children.

As of Monday, the brothers collected 14 large boxes of goods.

“It feels really good and really positive.” Shann said about how much he and his brother collected. “We decided to do a drive to help our grandparents because they lost everything.”

One surprise for Israel were the people who donated boxes filled with items, she said.

Every time there is a knock at the door, her children are ready to greet, accept and thank the person for their donation, she said.

“They're definitely very outgoing and driven on this,” she said. “I feel very proud of them.”

The brothers went to every school in the Seneca Valley school district to talk to principals and guidance counselors who have care programs and community projects, Jonathan said.

Shann and Jonathan said they are excited to take the trip to drop off the donations and hope their collections fit in the car.

The best part about the drive was helping people and their grandparents, Jonathan said.

“I would say thank you and they did a very good job helping our family members in the Bahamas,” he said to the people who donated.

Israel has noticed her children grow up through the process as they witnessed the generosity of the community, she said.

The family will drive to New Jersey on Thursday to drop off the collections for shipping, she said.

In addition to morals, Israel said her children have learned leadership and communication skills.

“I hope they learned it's always good to help people in need no matter where they're at in the world, that people can be generous and it's a good thing to help others,” she said.

Spaghetti dinner and auctionWHEN: Noon to 9 p.m. Oct. 6WHERE: Park United Presbyterian Church, 115 E. Grandview Ave., ZelienopleCookoutWHAT: SV North Soccer Association hosts cookoutWHEN: 9 to 11 a.m. Oct. 19WHEN: Seneca Valley Senior High School soccer field concession stand, 128 Seneca School Road, HarmonyNOTES: Events will benefit the Israel family who live in the Bahamas.FOR MORE INFORMATION; Email Shannon Israel at chefshannonilrael@yahoo.com