Family Service of RI Honoring Malcolm Farmer III October 20 - Advocate for Children, Civil Rights, LGBTQ Rights

Malcolm Farmer III will receive Family Service of Rhode Island's Brighter Futures Award, given annually to a person or organization making an outstanding contribution to the well-being of children.

"Mac Farmer helped change Rhode Island and the nation," said Margaret Holland McDuff, Family Service of Rhode Island's CEO. "His is a life of building brighter futures for people suffering from hatred and injustice and for children and families in crisis from abuse, homelessness and other issues."

The event takes place Tuesday, October 20, beginning at noon at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Seats and sponsorship opportunities are available through www.familyserviceri.org , by contacting Johnnie Chace at 401-519-2289 or emailing her at [email protected].

Mr. Farmer is an attorney and a partner at law firm Hinckley Allen. As a young lawyer in 1965 he left Hinckley Allen and went to Mississippi where he represented civil rights workers and organizations as well as local African-American citizens in efforts to obtain and protect their constitutional rights against state and local governments which endorsed and enforced racial segregation and discrimination. Returning to Rhode Island in 1967, he continued to work for fairness as the executive director of the Governor's Commission on Crime Delinquency and Criminal Administration. Later, as a member of the Providence City Council he was a strong and early advocate for racial equality and to end discrimination due to sexual orientation. He and his late wife Susan created the "Malcolm Farmer III and Susan L. Farmer Fund" at the Rhode Island Foundation promoting equality in issues involving race, sexual preference, gender, education, immigration -- any area where discrimination takes place.

"As our longtime board president, his compassion and idealism were complemented by a commitment to accomplishment," Ms. Holland McDuff said. "He has provided tireless leadership to improve the agency's services and fundraising capacity," she said.

The Brighter Futures Award Luncheon has become over the past eleven years a signature fall event for the state's business community. IGT is the Diamond Sponsor of the event; other major sponsors include: Malcolm G. Chace, Jr.; the de Ramel Foundation; Hasbro, Inc.; Hinckley Allen; Citizens Bank; Cooley Group; Capitol Securities; Deepwater Wind; Amica Insurance; Malcolm Farmer, III; KLR; Thomas D. Chase; Bank of America; Residential Properties; Dimeo Construction Company; Fuller Box Company; Christopher and Heather Crosby; Joseph R. Paolino, Jr.; CVS Health; and Delta Dental.

Family Service of Rhode Island is a non-profit social service and educational organization. More information is available at www.familyserviceri.org