The bone-chilling cold has spread across much of the northern United States and it took many people by surprise. The polar vortex struck so deeply that it even stopped the Postal Service in 11 states because of safety concerns.

If you really think about it, if mail carriers are not able to deliver the mail, it is obviously far too dangerous for homeless people to be on the streets at night. Homeless people in Chicago were even using a propane tank to warm themselves but unfortunately, it exploded.

Candice Payne is one woman who lives in Chicago who saw the plight of the homeless and wanted to do something about it. Without any thought of herself, she paid for 20 hotel rooms on her American Express card. She then went to social media to see if other people would help pay for more hotel rooms as well as food and necessities.

She wrote the following in a Facebook post: “It’s freezingly cold deathly weather. 15 homeless people have froze to death already! I have bought 39 rooms for the homeless I need help to do more! If you want to help donate a room and a meal it’s only $70.00.”

There were many positive comments on this post as well as the follow-up post on the same subject. More people were donating to the cause and as a result, volunteers paid for some 60 hotel rooms and a lot of food to go along with it. in addition, a makeshift kitchen was created in a hotel bathroom to make meals for the homeless.

Jermaine and Robert are two of the homeless men took the offer to get out of the freezing cold weather and stay a few nights. Robert said: “I really want to thank y’all for looking out for our people.”

The volunteers did know each other prior to helping the homeless but they are now becoming close friends. About 80 homeless people have already been saved from the cold weather for three nights and they hope it is more of a long-term solution.