You can usually find Miriam Mack-Piccone outside chatting with her neighbors, sharing thoughts about life and food in Salinas, and genuinely concerned with those around her, especially those in their golden years.

Miriam grew up in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. As a young teen, she volunteered to assist a cooking instructor at a local YMCA teaching young children with Down syndrome to make easy meals. From that experience, she understood being patient and showing kindness helps you grow as a person, and that ultimately, you gain more from helping others than what others receive from your helping hand.

Miriam studied art at Temple University in Philadelphia and in Rome. One year abroad gave her the travel itch. She moved around, finally landing in San Francisco in the late eighties. Those were the years of the AIDS epidemic, organizations such as Act Up were trying to raise awareness of the grave suffering; people were afraid. It was then, she saw strangers delivering food to her ill friends and she remembered how one small act of kindness spreads miles across a community. It was then she began delivering meals.

When Covid-19 hit the Salinas area, again illness devastated the community, people were isolated, lacked resources. Now, you can find Miriam trotting around Salinas on Thursdays, delivering meals, and taking time to be sure Meals on Wheels clients are doing well and staying positive-- knowing how one small act of kindness spreads miles.