This Is the Surprise Story of a Calif. Lawyer Giving His House to a Homeless Family for One Year

California-based lawyer Tony Tolbert is loaning his home to a homeless family in need (Photo Credit: CBS News)

A California-based lawyer is capturing headlines after giving his fully-furnished home to an impoverished family for one full year. Tony Tolbert, 51, is loaning the home, rent-free, to woman and her children -- individuals in grave need whom he had never even met.

After reaching out to the Alexandria House, a shelter for homeless women and children, he found Felicia Dukes. The mother of four has been sharing a single room at the shelter with three of her young children; her older son is not considered a "child" and, thus, was not permitted to stay at Alexandria House.

As CBS News notes, the family was homeless, broke and separated -- that is, until Tolbert came along. The attorney described learning important lessons about helping others from his father, Jimmy, who now has Alzheimer's Disease.

"Kindness creates kindness. Generosity creates generosity. Love creates love," he told CBS News. "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."

To make good on his offer, Tolbert moved back home with his parents -- a sacrificial action worth noting. The Harvard-educated lawyer clearly believes that paying-it-forward is the best way to spawn positivity and he's very literally putting his words to action.

"You don't have to be Bill Gates or Warren Buffet or Oprah," Tolbert added. "We can do it wherever we are, with whatever we have, and for me, I have a home that I can make available."

As for Dukes, she is dumbfounded by the kind gesture -- one that led to obvious emotion when she spoke to CBS News about it.

"My heart just fills up and stuff, um....I'm just really happy," she tearfully proclaimed.

Watch the inspirational story, below: