Candice Payne became a modern day hero when she bought 20 hotel rooms for Chicago’s homeless during last week’s polar vortex.

One woman made national news last week when she bought 20 hotel rooms, sheltering dozens of homeless during last week’s deep freeze thanks to the polar vortex. Now that woman has been identified as Chicago resident Candice Payne, a volunteer.

When Chicago’s temperatures dropped to sub-zero and it became extremely dangerous to remain out in the cold streets, Payne impulsively rose to the occasion by using her American Express card to book 20 hotel rooms for a group of homeless people living in a local area known as “Tent City”.

Payne then posted about it on social media which prompted more offers of help and financial donations. Payne and her new found friends paid for 60 hotel rooms to get homeless men and women out of the cold during the polar vortex.

Having taken the initiative, Payne’s efforts spurred the volunteer group to pay for three nights at the hotel rooms, by which time the cold temperatures had eased off.

“Maybe they didn’t know how to or where to start to help, so I’m glad that I was able to be that vehicle,” Payne said of the volunteers that came to help.

The act likely saved many lives as the homeless group’s only source of heat, a propane take, had exploded.

“We don’t get that type of help,” said Jermaine, one of the beneficiaries. “I really needed them at that point, so they came right in time.”