Chuck Colson and Al Quie at the dedication of the InnerChange Freedom Initiative Minnesota—now known as Prison Fellowship Academy—in the early 2000s.
Prison Fellowship,® the nation’s largest Christian nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, released the following statement after the tragic death of former Minnesota Gov. Al Quie. Gov. Quie also served in the Minnesota Statehouse and represented Minnesota’s First District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Gov. Quie was also a devoted advocate for criminal justice reform and a strong advocate for Prison Fellowship and its mission.
“As a founding member of Prison Fellowship’s Board of Directors, Gov. Quie played an instrumental role in shaping the organization’s approach to justice that restores, prisoner rehabilitation, and the transformative power of hope,” said James Ackerman, President and CEO of Prison Fellowship.
“Al played a key role in presenting the Prison Fellowship Academy concept to state governmental leaders in the early 2000s,” said Dan Kingery, Executive VP of Correctional Advancement. “He was active in the 2002 launch of the Prison Fellowship Academy and stayed involved not only as Executive Adviser but also a volunteer. For over 20 years, Al was a familiar face to the people who lived and worked in the Lino Lakes Correctional Facility.”
“The biggest impact he left on the facility was the countless hours he spent with the men in Lino Lakes, sharing stories about his service in World War II, his time spent in public service—whether it was in Congress or the Minnesota Statehouse,” added James Ackerman. “The men loved spending time with him because it was real and genuine.”