Homelessness is a major problem in many US cities and beyond. People who’ve lost their jobs or encountered some misfortune can sometimes find themselves in horrible situations. Even if they’re homeless through no fault of their own, it can be hard for many people to find assistance. And once they fall into homelessness, it’s very difficult for a lot of them to get out.

Luckily, some people are kind-hearted enough to help these people. You might’ve even lent a hand yourself. But some people really go above and beyond when it comes to helping others.

One of those people is Elvis Summers

A few years ago, Elvis met Irene “Smokie” McGee. She was a well-known woman in the neighborhood. She was in her 60s and homeless. She’d originally come to Summers’ door to ask if she could pick up any recycling from him as a way of making some money.

Help within the community

Generally, people in the neighborhood were kind to McGee. And sometimes, they even helped out. But then, Summers started to notice something. Although people might’ve cared for this woman during the day, their compassion seemed to dwindle at night.

He asked if she had a place to stay

Summers figured that she had some sort of shelter where she could sleep for the night. But when he asked McGee, she said she’d been sleeping in the dirt. She had no protection whatsoever from the outside elements. On top of that, she was barely getting any sleep because the situation was so uncomfortable.

Summers asked what he could do

When interviewed by ABC News, Summers said, “I started asking more questions about her to see what her story was. I learned she didn’t have anything, not even a cardboard box. She was literally sleeping in the dirt and I just wanted to make her a place where she could feel comfortable and at least get a good night’s sleep.”

He decided to build her a mini house

Summers had seen videos online of people making tiny houses. Since he had some experience with construction, he figured he could do it too. How hard could it be, after all? He checked with the city to see if it was doable, and it was. Then, he asked McGee how she’d feel about it.

It was a success

McGee went to the store to buy about $500 of supplies needed to build the house…and that was it. It only took roughly five days to completely put the house together. Of course, McGee was incredibly grateful and loved her new home. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2016. But she’s still iconic in the neighborhood.

A small project became something big

This small project was such a success that Summers wondered how he could turn it into something bigger, an endeavor that would help even more people.

So, he started an organization called Starting Human and was able to raise thousands of dollars to buy tiny homes for other individuals in need. He’s the kind of person who just can’t get enough of helping others in need.

This man is an inspiration and an example we could all learn from and follow. To learn more, we invite you to watch the video below.

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Source: Shareably, ABC News, YouTube