Kittens being kept outside going to be rehomed at 4 weeks. Help?

Hey I'm wondering if anyone can give me some advice!
I Really want to help these cats but I don't know what I can do...

A friend of a friend called me (my friend gave her my phone #) asking if I knew anyone who wanted to adopt a kitten. She is not the one who has them, I think it's her neighbor. The mother is an "outside cat" I guess. The kittens are apparently being kept OUTSIDE with their mother in a tent or something. They are 2 weeks old and she said the owner plans to give them to new homes in 2 weeks when they are 4 weeks old! Way too young and plus it is very very cold right now...

Anyway I don't know what to do! I want to help these poor kittens but I don't think I can take them to my home and I don't even know if the owner would let someone take the mom and kittens to raise them or not...but it can't be good for them to be outside and be sent to new homes at 4 weeks old!

Help any advice please! I really want to help but don't know what to do.

Where in IL are you? It could be that there is a no-kill shelter or rescue with willing foster homes nearby that could take them and keep them with Momma until they were old enough to be spay/neutered and then placed.

Would your friend introduce you, so you can talk to these people and explain that the kittens need their mom for longer than that? You'd have to be diplomatic, of course, but... maybe they'd be open to some input...

Maybe the owner will give you the mom and the kittens in 2 weeks and you can pass them over to a nice foster home. Is that a option.