Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (CNN) -- For years, Jennifer Cervantes struggled to make ends meet.





She worked 30 hours a week at Wal-Mart, but her paycheck -- along with child support and disability payments -- never seemed to cover living expenses for her and her five kids. Despite her best efforts, she kept falling further behind.





"Paying the rent, electric and gas -- it takes everything I have," she said. "I don't like digging up change ... so I can buy the kids' food. I needed help somehow, somewhere."





Desperate, Cervantes decided to write a letter to Sal Dimiceli, whose newspaper column might be considered a "Dear Abby" for the down and out.





Within a few weeks, Dimiceli showed up on her doorstep. They talked for a while, and then he offered to pay one month's rent as well as her outstanding gas and electric bills. He also went to the local grocery store and stocked the family's empty refrigerator.





"I was shocked," Cervantes said. "I feel relieved. The kids are getting tired of macaroni cheese and Ramen soup every night."





It was just another day's work for Dimiceli, a 60-year-old real estate broker whose weekly column in the Lake Geneva Regional News focuses on people in dire straits. Through his column and his nonprofit, The Time Is Now To Help, Dimiceli has provided about 500 people a year with food, rent, utilities and other necessities.





"I'm just addicted to helping," he said. "I don't have time to go to the show or golf. ... My fondness in life is helping my fellow Americans."





Dimiceli gets about 20 to 30 letters a week from people in the Lake Geneva area, and he investigates nearly all of them himself. He'll often visit people's homes to verify their circumstances. If someone appears to have a drug or alcohol problem, he refers them to other programs. And to make sure people are being honest about their situation, he'll open their cupboards to see how much food is in the house.





"I do not want to give a hard-earned dollar to someone who is taking advantage," he said. "But once I verify that their need is genuine, my heart opens right up."





At that point, Dimiceli springs into action with his unique safety net. He'll start by meeting immediate needs, perhaps providing a hot meal or moving someone without heat into a warm motel room. Within a day or two, he'll take care of other basics, like paying overdue rent or turning on utilities. His rapid response is a point of personal pride.





"There's not any bureaucratic red tape, " he said. "I want to help people now."





Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2011 CNN Heroes





But Dimiceli doesn't stop there. He also goes over each recipient's budget and finds ways to stabilize their long-term situation -- maybe negotiating lower rent with their landlords, repairing their car or tapping his network of supporters to help find them a job.





"It's not just a Band-Aid to feed them for that day," Dimiceli said. "We get them back on a track (so) that ... their pride is given back to them. They can catch up."





It's a level of personalized assistance that's almost hard to believe, but there are countless stories of Dimiceli's good works throughout Wisconsin and Illinois. The vast majority of people he helps are never even mentioned in his column.





For nearly a year, Val and Al Hyner had been unemployed, using their savings to pay for a small motel room. With almost no money left, Val pawned her jewelry, including her wedding ring.





Dimiceli showed up and helped the couple with gas cards and rent. And when he heard about Val's sacrifice, he dipped into his own pocket and made arrangements to get the ring back.





"Those that are in dire need,
Who grew up in poverty? Who was helping people get back on their feet? Who has been helping people get back on their feet? What are nominations open for? Who has written to Dimiceli? For what year Nominations of CNN Heroes are open? What Sal Dimiceli has personally done?
Jennifer Cervantes Sal Dimiceli, Sal Dimiceli, 2011 CNN Heroes people in the Lake Geneva area, 2011 provided about 500 people a year with food, rent, utilities and other necessities.
question: Who grew up in poverty?, answer: Jennifer Cervantes | question: Who was helping people get back on their feet?, answer: Sal Dimiceli, | question: Who has been helping people get back on their feet?, answer: Sal Dimiceli, | question: What are nominations open for?, answer: 2011 CNN Heroes | question: Who has written to Dimiceli?, answer: people in the Lake Geneva area, | question: For what year Nominations of CNN Heroes are open?, answer: 2011 | question: What Sal Dimiceli has personally done?, answer: provided about 500 people a year with food, rent, utilities and other necessities.