At iACT, we have great appreciation for the wonderful staff who make our service work possible! In this Staff Spotlight Claire Meade tells us a little more about herself.
Claire Meade, iACT Hands on Housing Program Specialist
Q: Where are you from?
A: I was originally born just outside of Washington D.C. in Northern Virginia. I lived there until I was 11, when we moved down to Texas (DFW area) to be closer to my mom’s side of the family.
Q: How long have you been in Austin?
A: Following my graduation from college, I moved to Austin in 2007. I lived here until 2017 when I moved to Memphis, TN for 4-ish years. I came back to Austin in January 2021, and it feels great to be back home in such a wonderful city!
Q: What do you do at iACT?
A: I work for our Hands on Housing program, where I assist the program director with administrative support.
Q: What’s the most challenging thing about the work you do at iACT?
A: It is challenging to see the high volumes of requests/needs in the community and balance the desire to help every single person with the reality that we are limited in what we can provide. Hands on Housing does a tremendous amount of work continually, but of course there is always more we wish we could do.
Q: What’s the most rewarding thing about the work you do at iACT?
A: I can honestly say that each task or project feels important and purposeful at iACT. The relationships with the homeowners, volunteers, and other staff provide a sense of interconnectivity and mutual investment in one another’s humanity. Even the more tedious tasks such as paperwork serve such a tangible and exciting goal of empowering people to live a safe and dignified existence. I think about the “why” every single day as I move through my work and feel truly honored to be in this role.
Q: Why would you encourage others to support the work of iACT?
A: Having been involved with the organization for a decade in various capacities, I can say without hesitation that iACT is doing huge things in the community of Austin and beyond. iACT is careful to be responsible stewards of all resources and the culture of this particular nonprofit is exemplary, sincere, and intentional. It is easy to get excited about a mission statement, but it is rarer to see it embodied so faithfully and holistically as it is in iACT’s programs. I encourage anyone who is curious about being involved to reach out to their own ability, whether that is financial support, volunteering, or even attending an event. In these times, iACT is a source of much-needed tenacious hope.
