(CNN) A single act of generosity was multiplied again and again this week after a Good Samaritan paid for hotel rooms to shelter homeless Chicagoans from a historic and potentially deadly cold snap.

Donations of transportation, food and money flooded in after strangers learned that real estate developer Candice Payne had booked 20 hotel rooms at the Amber Inn motel.

"I had strangers from social media who are now lifelong friends helping me," she told CNN.

Soon, the improvised group had booked 60 rooms for more than 100 people, including children and families, Payne said.

"I have people dropping by daily to help who have seen the story on Instagram," she said. "They have volunteered money and time and cars because we had to get them to the hotel."

Read More