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Live to Give
Barbara Schmidt devotes much of her time to the Schmidt Family Foundation, established by the parents of her husband, Richard. She sits on the board and helps determine which area nonprofits will receive part of the $2 million to $3 million distributed yearly. “Our mission is to empower people to help themselves,” says Schmidt, who has lived in Boca Raton for nearly 20 years.
Peace of Mind
Another labor of love for Schmidt is the Peaceful Mind/Peaceful World Series at Florida Atlantic University (the Schmidt Family Foundation is a major benefactor of FAU). In 2004, Schmidt founded the series—which comprises workshops featuring inspiring guests such as Jane Goodall—to “help people find peace of mind and peace in their daily lives,” she says.
Her McPast
In high school, the Chicago native began working as a cashier at McDonald’s. She worked her way up to manager, supervisor and then owner; she and her former husband ran several franchises in Michigan and, later, South Florida. In 1996, Schmidt sold her remaining three restaurants—in Hallandale and Hollywood—to spend more time with her family and the foundation.
Spiritual Quest
Schmidt was reared as a Catholic but has been exploring other philosophies her whole life. Her spiritual journey has, over the years, led Schmidt to participate in a workshop with the Dalai Lama and to embrace the teachings of Eknath Easwaran, whose eight-point program is the foundation for the FAU series. “If we want to see peace in the world, we need to start with ourselves,” Schmidt says.
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