Mary Makuc

Mary Makuc is officially the coordinator at the Monterey Community Center (which she helped create), but she is so much more. After a near-fatal accident at 21, she became an advocate for people with challenges and was Monterey’s ADA representative for many years. During the pandemic, Makuc worked to ensure vaccine accessibility, arranging for a mobile clinic in town. Makuc also was one of the founders of the Monterey Food Pantry to help those experiencing food insecurity. “Mary is so inspiring, so passionate about finding solutions to social problems, it seems impossible to say ‘no’ to her,” says Community Center colleague Wendy Germain. “Mary spreads a lot of joy, kindness and compassion all over town.”