ASL Interpreter Referral Service, Inc. Awarded GSA Schedule Contract
Schedule 738 II Language Services

ASL Interpreter Referral Service, Inc. (ASLIRS, Inc.) has been awarded General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule Contract GS-10F-219BA for GSA Schedule 738 II -Language Services. This contract, with base five years and three five-year options to extend, will better enable ASLIRS, Inc., to provide comprehensive sign language interpretation and CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) services to businesses and organizations domestically.

Kathy Kady-Hopkins, President of ASLIRS, Inc. who herself is deaf, stated, “We are delighted to have received the GSA award. It broadens our horizons to expand our expert sign language interpreting and CART (open-captioning) services to a much wider population of Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf–Blind people domestically. This is in line with our mission to provide the most appropriate and excellent interpreting service to deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and hearing people. My business partner, Christine Sherwood, and I are passionate about this service because we are dedicated to “Helping People Succeed” by bridging the gap in communications. We will accomplish this by screening and matching interpreter’s skills and qualifications to the specific needs of the client.”

Founded in 1995, ASL Interpreter Referral Service, Inc. has been providing comprehensive communications solutions to organizations and businesses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. ASLIRS’ mission is to support individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind by providing 24/7 sign language interpretation and CART captionists in all settings including hospitals, clinics, schools, colleges/universities, court rooms, state/federal offices, theaters, corporate offices, private residences, etc. In 2008, ASLIRS was honored with the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 2008 New Jersey Small Business Persons of the Year award.

SBA Business of the Year 2008

Celebrating Their Success
SBA Honors Small Business Week Winners

In 1996, Kathy Kady-Hopkins and her mom, Christine Sherwood took a leap of faith and started ASL Interpreter Referral Service, Inc. from their New Brunswick homes with a $2,000 investment. Twelve years later, they find themselves as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 2008 New Jersey Small Business Persons of the Year.

Kathy is the president and Chris is the vice president of ASL Interpreter Referral Service, Inc., a Somerset-based firm that specializes in providing interpreters 24/7 for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or deaf and blind. Read the SBA Press Release