Schmidt had been assisting families through The Mountain Seed Foundation, a nonprofit he established in 2021 to aid people from war-torn countries.

Mountain Seed Foundation was established in 2021 with an aim to help children and their families caught in the war zones of Europe, particularly in Ukraine. Veteran-led, they understand the traumas youth will endure as a result of war and associated struggles. Mountain-based camps provide an atmosphere carefully designed to heal through art, therapy, skill-building, and mentoring from a team of professionals who volunteer their time.

Mountain Seed Foundation, a Virginia-based organization founded by an American veteran which works to heal children and families from war-torn countries like Ukraine, coordinated a healing and wellness retreat for 17 Ukrainian children.