Press Release

Media contact:
Tripp Laino, 202-999-4273
tlaino@famm.org

FAMM mourns the loss of esteemed Board Member and philanthropist Philip Harvey

WASHINGTON – FAMM Founder and Board Chair Julie Stewart and FAMM President Kevin Ring today released the following statements about the passing of philanthropist and cherished FAMM board member, Philip Harvey.

FAMM Founder and Board Chair Julie Stewart:

The first time I really understood Phil’s commitment to FAMM’s cause was when he attended a gathering of FAMM families at a church in D.C. to celebrate the homecoming of two men whose sentences were commuted by President Clinton in 2001.

After the commutees spoke about their time in prison, Phil got up and left the church. I followed after him and asked if he was okay. He said he was angry. He was angry that those two men had served ANY time in prison! I was awed by his depth of feeling about two men he had never met, and the injustice of their sentences.

But that was Phil. He was deeply committed to the underdog, especially if the government seemed to be unfairly targeting them. I fell in love with Phil that day outside a church in Southeast Washington and was blessed by his friendship and mentorship for the next 20 years. I will miss him terribly.

FAMM President Kevin Ring:

I am heartbroken. To know Phil was to love and admire him, and I did. He was a generous donor to the causes he believed in, but he was even more generous with his time and wise counsel. He gave me so much encouragement when I took over as president, responding to my calls and emails with advice and support. “Good stuff! Keep it up!” he’d write. I looked up to Phil, so it meant the world to me to know he was engaged and cared about everything FAMM and I were working on.

All of us hope to leave the world a better place. Phil did. On behalf of everyone at FAMM, I extend our deepest condolences to Phil’s wife, Harriet, their family, and everyone who knew and loved Phil.

For nearly three decades, FAMM has united the voices of affected families, the formerly incarcerated, and a range of stakeholders and advocates to fight for a more fair and effective justice system. FAMM’s focus on ending a one-size-fits-all punishment structure has led to reforms to sentencing and prison policies at the state and federal level and is paving the way to programs that support rehabilitation for the 94% of all prisoners who will return to our neighborhoods one day.

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FAMM is a national nonpartisan advocacy organization that promotes fair and effective criminal justice policies that safeguard taxpayer dollars and keep our communities safe. Founded in 1991, FAMM is helping transform America’s criminal justice system by uniting the voices of impacted families and individuals and elevating the issues all across the country.