Strangers in Chicago work together to provide shelter for the homeless during polar vortex

Once Candice Payne heard how cold it would be in Chicago during the polar vortex, she grabbed her credit card and rented 20 hotel rooms so homeless people would have a safe and warm place to stay.

Her good deed served as inspiration for others, and as word spread, people started pooling their money together to cover the cost of more rooms. The timing was critical; on Wednesday, a propane tank exploded at a homeless encampment near a highway. The explosion ruined belongings, and as this was their source of heat, people were forced to look elsewhere for shelter.

Payne and her band of volunteers — many of whom did not know each other before last week — paid for a total of 60 rooms at a South Side hotel, helping 80 people for three nights, and set up a temporary kitchen in order to feed everyone. A man named Jermaine told CBS News that Payne is an "angel," adding: "We don't get that type of help. I really needed them at that point, so they came right in time." The group collected donations so items ruined in the explosion could be replaced, and they are now working on trying to come up with a more permanent housing solution.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up