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AID staff and clients describe housing and medication support and urge donations
Summary
Staff and clients with AID told a public comment session that the agency helped provide housing, medication access and employment; a client urged donations to keep the program running, saying the services transformed her circumstances.
Tom Meraz, operations manager for AID, opened remarks by saying he oversees four homes run by the organization and described staff involvement in clients’ daily care. "My name is Tom Meraz," he said, identifying his role at AID and the scale of his responsibilities.
Alex, a staff member who said they have worked with AID since 2016, described direct support work with people who have intellectual and severe developmental disabilities, saying "they just need a little extra help" and that staff aim to help clients be "happy and successful and safe in their life." Their remarks established the staff role in day-to-day client care.
Natalie Santos, a client and cancer survivor, recounted a period of crisis that included a psychiatric hospitalization and difficulty accessing medication while uninsured. She said she told hospital staff she "hadn't been on" her medication, and described being unable to get a cancer medication for a year. Natalie credited a staff member named Steve Hogan with placing her at the Candlewood Suites, where she said she had a private room, food and help getting back on medication.
Natalie described AID's 24-hour "living room" program and said the wraparound support helped her regain stability; she also said she later obtained a job with AID as a janitor. Speaking directly to the audience, she urged community support: "So you should donate to keep that program going. Y'all should donate to keep AID going." She added that the services changed her life: "I'm living."
No formal actions, motions or votes were recorded in the transcript. The public remarks focused on client experience, medication access and the role of temporary housing and employment supports in recovery. The speakers did not specify funding amounts, formal program names beyond "living room," or whether AID is a nonprofit or other legal entity. The transcript does not record any official response, follow-up vote or staff commitment during this session.
