After many years of struggling in business, Mr. Carr struck it big. As the founder and chief executive of Heartland Payment Systems, a payments company focused on small businesses, he had become a wealthy man. And he kept his vow to help students who had endured hardship. He set out to build a national program that guides students toward long-term success within a supportive community. 

In 2003, he founded Give Back. The organization offers a comprehensive approach that includes mentorship, academic coaching, and scholarships, all towards the goal of supporting students in their pursuit of a sustainable family wage. Starting as early as middle school, Give Back provides students with college readiness programs, financial aid workshops, and career exploration opportunities. Their mission is to break the cycle of poverty by ensuring that students not only attend college but also graduate prepared to contribute positively to their communities.

To date, Give Back has provided mentoring and college scholarships to more than 2,000 students who have endured significant adversities, including experienced in the child welfare system, homelessness, traumatic crimes, the incarceration of a parent. Mr. Carr has invested more than $100,000,000 of his fortune in Give Back.