Sam Polk – Every Table
By Lucia Valente January 2020
Recently I watched a video about neuroscientists researching altruism and kindness. There is much debate as to basic human (and animal) nature. As a species, are we totally selfish or are we cooperative? I believe that we are both and the journey throughout life is to live with balance. It is a huge struggle and, on a micro (individual) and macro (societal) level, it has been with us since the beginning.
The video provided much information and gave examples of people who are naturally altruistic and those who came to such life decisions through deliberate choice. In the video, there was a segment about Sam Polk who was a Wall Street Trader earning millions of dollars per year.
Sam made the decision to change his life and specifically the focus of his life. He realized he was addicted to money. He wanted rid of the addiction and he made major life changes.
I checked out the Every Table web site and this is what spoke to me:
“Healthy food is a human right. But $9 green juices and $12 salads make healthy food a luxury most people can’t afford. In fact, many communities in the U.S. have so little access to healthy, affordable food, they’re called “food deserts.” These communities experience high rates of obesity, diabetes, and stress.
Our goal is to make good food accessible and affordable in every community. At each store, we price our meals according to the income of the surrounding neighborhood. We make sure our food is affordable, and that each store is profitable.”
I am drawn to people to DO things to help others; people who take an ACTIVE role in making the world a better place. And I like what he has to say – he did not want to talk about doing something; he did not want to point at others as the problem; he made the decision to DO SOMETHING!
Below are a few links that outlines his choice to change; his work; his altruism and his basic humanity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZScyIKAhpc
https://www.dogoodla.org/sam-polk