Adina Lichtman
Adina has been on Good Street since the first month we launched. We caught up with this Do Gooder while she was out delivering socks to those in need in NYC…
Good St. is about making giving a part of our daily routines… What is a quirky daily routine of yours?
I put on bunny slippers every morning!
What’s a GOOD memory from your childhood?
One time, in first grade, I was getting beat up by a bully. I was about to be kicked by this girl, and then out of nowhere this other girl jumped in front of me and blocked the kick. Those two girls got in trouble and were put into time out. But I just remember that was one friend who literally got kicked in the knees just so I wouldn’t. It was amazing! And then she later moved to China.
What is a cause or organization your particularly passionate about? And why?
I really like Orly Wahba’s ‘Life Vest Inside’. She’s implementing a curriculum into schools all around the world that would integrate kindness in liberal arts education. So when classes are reading stories, they should be reading about kindness, how it empowers and benefits people when they engage in and spread kind acts.
What communities are you a part of, and what does community mean to you?
I’m a part of a lot of communities. The NYU community, Hillel and Chabad, and my hometown community in West Orange, NJ. What community means to me is to be engaged and fully present. I used to not go to synagogue every Saturday. But there was a woman in my community who made each of her children go to services and make sure they knew the other members of the community. What that taught me is the importance of just knowing people by name and really being a contributing part of a community in that sense.
Inspirational quote?
”The best way to instill confidence in yourself, is to instill confidence in others.”
What are you most passionate about?
I am most passionate about creating a platform that empowers other people to give, instead of just giving myself.
On Good St. we believe that small change (like our quarters) can lead to big change… can you think of a particular experience in your life that you believe changed you, whether in a big or small way?
I was out one night giving sandwiches to people experiencing homelessness and one guy said to me, ‘it’s really nice you’re giving out sandwiches, but one thing we can really use are a pair of socks.’ This small interaction changed my life. It showed me that sometimes we really want to help people and we have good intentions and the best hearts. But when it comes to helping out other people, we need to listen and hear them and really ask how we can help. The worst thing we can do is assume we know how to help others, because none of us know what other people need. Led to the creation of Knock Knock Give A Sock.
Rapid Fire Good:
Good Bar:
Wicked Willy’s!
Good Restaurant?
Chabad — they have the best food.
Good Band?
Taylor Swift. I love her. She wins everything!
Good Idea?
‘I Spy for Good.’ It’s where everyone walks around looking for different ways to help people.
Good Gift?
Make it a surprise!
Good Excuse?
Something with old people.
Good TV Show?
‘What Would You Do’
Good Date?
Using Create-a-Date!
Originally published at goodst.org.
