Newport, TN (WOKI / WVLT) An entire community is working to help a 24-year-old autistic man get a home of his own.

Nate Morris has been living in a Cocke County hotel since January, paid for by his driver’s education teacher and friend, Wade Wester. That friend, now mounting a Go Fund Me campaign, says he is overwhelmed by the outpouring of public support for Morris.

“It’s been so overwhelming for me just to see the community support him,” said Wester speaking with our news partner, WVLT. “It’s really knocked the breath out of me just how supportive everybody is, and I just want to make sure this money goes the right direction and helps Nate find somewhere to live.”

Morriss’ friends said you’ll always see him with a smile on his face, whether he’s at work or cheering for his Cocke County High School Fighting Cocks at a basketball game.

Morriss is also helping himself— working at Food City twice a week to save up money of his own. He told WVLT News he’s grateful to have a roof over his head, but wants a place to himself.

“It would be fantastic to have,” Morriss said. “So that I could be with my mother and just have a good life with my mother.”

That home is a goal the community is happy to help with, Wester said. “When this GoFundMe came out, just everybody that had been around Nate at some point just started putting money in the account,” Wester said. “Because of the impression that he made on them.” Wester said the community has raised over $6,000 toward their grand total of $10,000.

Those people, donating to see Morriss and his mother in a home, also made an impression on the young man.

“All my friends here who are praying for me right now, I just want to say ‘thanks everybody,’” Morriss said.

You can donate to the GoFundMe here.