Pat Hatch had an idea of what it was like to be a foreign-born resident in a new country, after spending 2 1/2 years in Korea.
“I learned what it felt like to be an odd person out in another culture,” said Hatch, founder of Howard County?s Foreign-Born Information and Referral Network Inc.
As FIRN turns 25 next week, the Columbia resident recalled her motivation to form the nonprofit and the support and struggles along the way.
“I recognized a small need, and I had no idea it was going to grow so much,” Hatch said.
Upon returning from overseas in the late 1970s, Hatch volunteered with her congregation to help refugees, but a fateful Halloween led to FIRN.
Two young Korean children rang Hatch?s doorbell, donning Korean costumes. Hatch greeted them in Korean and met their mother, who had lived in the U.S. for two years, but didn?t know where to turn for English classes or immunizations, Hatch said.
“I began to understand and relate my own experience overseas with their experience,” Hatch said.
She reached out to the Columbia Foundation and Howard Community College?s teachers of English as a Second Language, who were struggling with questions from their students about services for immigrants.
Launching with seed money from the Columbia Foundation, FIRN worked for three years under a grant from the college, with Hatch as the only staff member.
Starting a community organization requires a vision and a strong leader, said expert Bob Phibbs, who started a community chorus in California.
Paul Lamb, a Calif.-based consultant who started several nonprofits, said the first step and biggest obstacle is identifying and articulating a “true need” and mission.
For FIRN, one early challenge was defining a manageable scope of services, Hatch said.
“You begin to realize you have to set the parameters a little narrower if you want to be successful,” she said.
As the county?s foreign-born community grows, FIRN has had to adapt to the needs and work with other agencies, particularly given the limited funding and staff, said Hatch, who is now a program manager for the Maryland Office for New Americans. FIRN?s current executive director is Roy Appletree.
“They have to find those services that are uniquely the ones FIRN can provide,” she said, such as immigration law assistance and translation and interpretation services.
IF YOU GO
Howard County?s Foreign-Born Information and Referral Network?s 25th anniversary event
» Where: Jessie Wong?s Hong Kong restaurant in Columbia
» Time: 6 p.m. Monday
