Bauer Gives Back: Paying it Forward
Bauer Gives Back: Entrepreneurship Student Helps Turn Lives Around One Person at a Time
Published on December 13, 2012
By giving back to those in need, entrepreneurship junior Chris Wick hopes that they will one day pay the favor forward when they are able.
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series called “Bauer Gives Back,” which will run through the rest of the Fall 2012 semester. With weekly updates each Friday, Bauer Gives Back will highlight volunteer activities and charitable efforts of students, staff, faculty and alumni of the college.
Giving back can come in many forms, and for Bauer entrepreneurship junior Chris Wick, the best way to make a difference can be paying it forward.
Wick dedicates his time to organizations like the Star of Hope – Houston and also gives back to those in need with the intention that they pay it forward, using their resources to help others when they are in the position to do so.
“Volunteering and giving back has always been a priority of mine,” Wick said. “Since a very young age, I had always promised myself that when I became successful, I would make sure to give back generously.”
Wick remembers frequent trips to a local gas station, where a homeless man named John would wash his windows in exchange for a few dollars. After numerous visits, there came a time when Wick had no cash to give and instead, he gave hope.
“One day, I didn't have any cash on me, so I told him I could go inside and get him something from the convenience store,” Wick said. “When I asked him if he needed anything, he quickly said yes, he would really appreciate it if I could go inside and buy him a small package of laundry detergent. It was then I realized that John was really trying to work toward a better goal.”
The next time Wick saw John, he noticed he was wearing bright white shoes, purchased with a recent paycheck. John told Wick that the detergent he purchased allowed him to clean his clothes and go to a job interview. After a few weeks, Wick never saw John again, but knew that he’d taken the charity he was given and invested it in himself.
“There was once a time where every one of us had goals and dreams, and I can guarantee no one had the hope they would grow up and be homeless. When I look at people, I see the similarities rather than the differences. Those people on the street are our brothers and sisters, and our responsibility is to help them.”
The next installment of Bauer Gives Back will be posted on www.bauer.uh.edu on Friday, Dec. 21. Do you have a suggestion for someone who should be recognized? Email Director of Communications Jessica Navarro at jnavarro@bauer.uh.edu.