Barbara Schmidt says she tries to follow
the advice of Gandhi: ‘Be the change you
want to see in the world.’ About 10 years ago, she founded
a philanthropic organization called Spirit of Giving. Photo by Tim Stepien
By Linda Haase
As a kid, Barbara Schmidt was mesmerized by the classic Wizard of Oz. It wasn’t just the amazing Technicolor that captivated her: She was enthralled with Dorothy’s kindness, the way the precocious girl uplifted others’ lives, convincing them they were smart, courageous and loving. And, she proved how powerful a united group — even a small one — could be.
Even at 5 years old, that message resonated with Schmidt. And that’s how she lives her life today. Now 54, the Boca Raton philanthropist certainly knows how to motivate and connect people.
About 10 years ago, she founded the Spirit of Giving, a nonprofit organization that now unites more than 50 nonprofit groups focused on helping children and families in South Palm Beach County.
“One of my biggest passions is that we are all united. We are such amazing human beings and we are so much alike. We tend to focus on our differences, but we need to focus on our likenesses,” she explains. “The Spirit of Giving has been an incredible way for nonprofits to work together, sharing ideas and resources.”
Schmidt also is very involved with Florida Atlantic University’s Peaceful Mind/Peaceful World Lecture Series, designed to “promote discussions and an understanding of the challenges individuals face as they seek peace within their own lives and in their communities.”
Schmidt follows Mahatma Gandhi’s advice: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
She and her husband, Dick, who were married in 1992, also are very involved with the Schmidt Family Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to helping people here and abroad. “Our mission is to give people a hand to help them get started,” she explains. (Dick, a longtime Boca Raton resident, is also chairman of the board of directors of Boca Raton Regional Hospital, among other charitable endeavors.)
Barbara Schmidt, who has lived in Boca Raton since 1992, takes time to balance her life, with pilates, yoga, walking for exercise, boating, snorkeling, skiing and watching movies with Dick and friends for relaxation. “I stop every day — and breathe — and think — and meditate. Everyone needs to have a quiet reflection of their day,” she believes.
As a girl growing up in Chicago, Schmidt spent a lot of time with her grandparents. So her grandfather’s tutelage in all things plumbing helped her immensely when she owned and operated six McDonald’s franchises between 1979 and 1996. She started her McDonald’s career when she 14 and was promoted to manager at 17.
She looks back fondly on her days under the Golden Arches, recalling it as a rewarding and wonderful part of her life, but as a vegan now, she no longer eats there. But, it was a great learning experience, she says. And one that she shared with her daughter, Michelle, who is now 25.
From an early age, Michelle learned that “no matter what life throws at you, you have ability to handle it.” To this day, says Schmidt, “Michelle is very resilient. She always has said when you are given lemons, make lemonade. She has great faith and trusts that the next thing that happens is what she needs even though it wasn’t what she expected.”
It’s the unexpected that makes life interesting, Schmidt believes. “I look forward to the unfolding of the seeds that have been planted. Life unfolds so beautifully when we aren’t expecting it.” Ú
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