The Power Of Paying It Forward: How Bob Carr Turned Gratitude Into $100 Million Of Generational Impact
Bob Carr, Founder & CEO | Give Something Back
It all started with $250.
A small, unexpected scholarship that arrived just in time for a high school senior who had no space to study, no encouragement to attend college, and no clear path out of a difficult home life.
That student was Robert O. Carr—who would go on to redefine what it means to give back.
Growing up in a crowded house on a rural Illinois road, Bob faced more than just financial hardship. With a father who was verbally and physically abusive and a mother working nights as a waitress, his environment was anything but nurturing. College wasn’t just improbable—it was actively discouraged. But Bob refused to accept the limits placed on him. He enrolled at the University of Illinois, working full-time in food service while earning a mathematics degree in just three years, followed by a master’s in computer science in his fourth.
The road ahead wasn’t easy. Bob’s entrepreneurial journey was riddled with struggle—brushing up against home foreclosure, teetering on the edge of losing his car, facing the relentless uncertainty that comes with building something from nothing. But perseverance has a way of paying off.
He founded Heartland Payment Systems, a company that would rise to Fortune 1000 status, trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Later, he launched Beyond, a payments company designed with a bold purpose: directing company profits toward expanding access to education.
But Bob never forgot that $250.
And when he sold his companies, he decided to do something about it.
In 2003, he founded Give Something Back, an organization that would take the essence of his own experience—gratitude for an unexpected scholarship—and amplify it to extraordinary proportions. Through Give Back, he has donated over $100 million, supporting more than 2,000 young people with scholarships and mentoring nationwide. His mission isn’t just about financial assistance; it’s about ensuring students, many of whom have faced similar adversities, have the support and encouragement they need to succeed.
Give Something Back supports students who have faced significant adversities, guiding them toward long-term success in a safe and caring community.
When speaking to Bob, you realize what a kind, decent, and unassuming man he is. I asked him about the impact of receiving that first check. “When I got that $250 check from the Lockport Women’s Club, I was thrilled. That $250 check meant I had to work 250 hours less—at 95 cents an hour, washing dishes in the university food service. I was the first person ever to send them a thank-you note in 53 years!” he laughed.
He shared with me the moment he realized that he could do something significant with the money he’d earned. “I was making over a million dollars a month at one point, and I decided to use the money to help kids instead of buying yachts or houses. I took $31 million from selling my business and partnered with 31 universities. We gave each a $1 million check in exchange for them covering tuition, fees, room, and board for 50 students. The universities invest the money and keep the interest, while we contribute $5,000 per student per year,” he explained.
The stories of kids who came from underprivileged backgrounds like him touch him deeply. “One student from Wilmington, Delaware, was born in a prison, falling onto a concrete floor because the jail wouldn’t help her mother deliver. How terrible is that?”. But the ripple effect of the scholarships is beginning to be seen in profound ways. “Another student, from my hometown found extra funding and graduated top of her class. Now, she’s the CEO of an insurance company. We’ve helped over 1,911 students. Many come from families struggling with abuse, addiction, and poverty. Our graduation rate of 74% is the highest I’ve seen for a program helping indigent kids.”
Through Give Back, Bob Carr has donated over $100 million, supporting more than 2,000 young people with scholarships and mentoring nationwide
The program has now expanded to provide coaching for the kids, to help them navigate the difficulty of life. “We now have coaches who support up to 50 students each, which allows us to expand rapidly. We also provide mental health training for our staff. We set up a partnership with Loma Linda University so students can get counseling covered by state programs. We’ve even received Department of Justice grants to support justice-involved youth.”
Ultimately his ambition is to partner with other philanthropic organizations, foundations, and government, and expand the program to reach even more kids. “We want to expand nationally. We currently have offices in California, Illinois, New York, Minnesota, and Kansas. Our model works—students graduate debt-free 95% of the time. I think more grants will come as states see our success. There will always be a need for what we do.”
In closing, he says simply, “These kids need someone to put an arm around them and be there. It takes time for them to trust us, but that’s what makes all the difference. After 20 years, that’s still the biggest surprise for me.”
Recognized for both his business acumen and philanthropy, Bob’s legacy is one of resilience, generosity, and the unwavering belief that opportunity should not be dictated by circumstance. He is the living embodiment of the best of America: compassionate, principled, and humble.
Today, Bob lives in Princeton, New Jersey, with his wife, Kathie, enjoying life as a father of six and grandfather of seven. But his greatest legacy isn’t in the companies he built—it’s in the lives he has transformed.
Because sometimes, the smallest gestures of generosity have the power to change everything.
