8-year-old chess champ whose family fled Boko Haram no longer homeless after $250K raised

(FOX NEWS) -- The 8-year-old chess champion, Tanitoluwa "Tani" Adewumi, was living in a homeless shelter more than a week ago. Now, he's enjoying homecooked meals after his story went viral and strangers from all over the world started donating to a GoFundMe for him and his family, which fled Christian persecution.

Tani's story gained international attention after he won the New York State chess tournament while living in a Manhatten homeless shelter. The young boy quickly picked up the game after joining his school's chess club when he immigrated to New York two years ago.

"Our family is now enjoying home cooked meals, Tani is getting on with his chess studies and we eagerly look towards the journey of the Tanitoluwa Adewumi Foundation," Kayode, Tani's father, announced on GoFundMe Friday morning.

In total, the Adewumis have raised over $250,000. The family started the foundation, which officially launches next week, and has said they are going to tithe the first 10 percent to their local church.

Adewumi said the remaining funds will be used "to share the generosity of others to those in need" and for "anybody who is coming from Africa who is in the position we were in. We will help them."

"We give God the glory!" he said.

MORE: Homeless 8-year-old refugee whose family escaped Boko Haram wins NY chess championship

Tani, whose story was originally reported by the New York Times, shouted "I have a home! I have a home!" when he arrived at the family's new residence.

"The U.S. is a dream country," Kayode told the Times. "Thank God I live in the greatest city in the world, which is New York, New York."

The family has an immigration hearing scheduled for August, three months after Tani is slated to compete at the elementary national chess championship, according to The Hill.