Harvard-educated Tony Tolbert – who is currently the associate director of outreach at the UCLA School of Law – said he was inspired by his father, Los Angeles entertainment lawyer Jimmy Tolbert, who always helped those down on their luck by letting them sleep on a spare bed at the family home, but who now suffers from Alzheimer's disease, reports the UPI news agency web site.
Mr Tolbert, 51, said: ‘Kindness creates kindness. Generosity creates generosity. Love creates love. And I think if we can share some of that and have more stories about people doing nice things for other people, and fewer stories about people doing horrible things to other people, that's a better world.
‘You don't have to be Bill Gates or Warren Buffet or Oprah. We can do it wherever we are, with whatever we have, and for me, I have a home that I can make available.’
Mr Tolbert took in Felicia Dukes and her three youngest children after finding them at Alexandria House, a shelter for homeless women and children.
‘My heart just fills up and stuff. ... I'm just really happy,’ said Ms Dukes.