Featured Programs and Projects

Social Security: America's Radar Screen Public Hearing

The Claude Pepper Center at Florida State University and the Claude Pepper Foundation held a public hearing on Thursday, October 14th, 2004 to announce the results of a national poll on the state of Social Security in our country.

What the general public, from the perspectives of the nation and Florida, thinks about this country's public retirement program for the elderly, disabled, and dependents were discussed from bi-partisan perspectives.

The public's perspectives were discussed with implications for the future of the current Social Security system and possibilities for reform. The objectives of the hearing were:

Watch the Social Security: America's Radar Screen Public Hearing by click on the following links below. (Note: The free Real Player is required to view the material)

  1. Social Security: America's Radar Screen Public Hearing, part 1
    • Welcome and Introductions by Thomas Spulak, Chairman of Claude Pepper Foundation, Inc.
    • Social Security Poll Results: National and State of Florida
      • Sergio Bendixen, President, Bendixen and Associates from Miami, FL
      • Bob Carpenter, Vice President, American Viewpoint from Washington, DC
  2. Social Security: America's Radar Screen Public Hearing, part 2
    • Social Security Poll Results: National and State of Florida
      • Bob Carpenter, Vice President, American Viewpoint from Washington, DC (cont'd)
    • Reactor Panel
      • Former Representative Barbara Kennelly, President, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare from Washington, DC
      • David Certner, Federal Affairs Director, AARP from Washington, DC
      • Jill Quadagno, Claude Pepper Eminent Scholar of Social Gerontology, Pepper Institute on Aging, Florida State University from Tallahassee, FL
      • William Arnone, Partner, Human Capital practice, Ernst and Young from New York
      • Ptere Reinecke, Chief of Staff for Senator Tom Harkin from Washington, DC
  3. Social Security: America's Radar Screen Public Hearing, part 3
    • Reactor Panel (cont'd)
  4. Social Security: America's Radar Screen Public Hearing, part 4
    • Reactor Panel (cont'd)
    • Discussion with the audience
  5. Social Security: America's Radar Screen Public Hearing, part 5
    • Discussion with the audience (cont'd)

Claude Pepper Biogragraphical Film: Eyewitness to a Century

Cover of the autobiography, Eyewitness to a Century

The Pepper Foundation is dedicated to maintaining the legacy and promoting the achievements and contributions to public life of Senator Pepper. As such, the Foundation worked in conjunction with Ronald Goldfarb, Main Street Productions, and Florida State University College of Communications/Seminole Productions to produce a documentary film on the life and career of Claude Pepper. The documentary, entitled Claude Pepper: Eyewitness to a Century, is narrated by actor Edward Asner and includes interviews with Senator Pepper conducted by Ron Goldfarb. The film also features several original photographs and audiovisual recordings from the holdings of the Pepper Library.

The documentary has been added to the permanent collection of the Claude Pepper Library, and is presented to visitors in the auditorium of the Pepper Center. The film has also been broadcast on television stations nationwide and is made available for broadcast by the Pepper Foundation.

In 1987 Senator Pepper published an autobiography, co-written with Hays Gorey, under the same title. Both the documentary and autobiography present an engaging portrait of this important twentieth century statesman by using his own words and the words of those who knew him best.

Visiting Scholar's Program at the Claude Pepper Library

The Pepper Foundation offers grants quarterly to encourage study, in the Pepper Center, on policy areas that were advanced by Senator Pepper and also to study his life and political career. The Claude Pepper Library houses papers, photographs, recordings, and memorabilia of the late U.S. Congressman Claude Pepper. In public life for more than 40 years, the political career of Claude Denson Pepper, spans the period from his years as a Florida legislator in the late 1920s and a U.S. Senator during the 1930s and 1940s to his tenure as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the 1960s until his death in 1989. His commitment to public service spanned the administrations of nine presidents. Claude Pepper had an impact on many significant areas of public policy and these topics are included in the Library's holdings.

Anyone with a scholarly interest in Claude Pepper or the policies and causes that he supported is encouraged to apply. Applications are accepted throughout the year, but will be considered biannually. Applications must be postmarked by April 15 or October 15 to be considered in June's or December's Board of Directors' meeting. Twenty thousand dollars are available annually for the grants. The amount of each grant awarded is based on the proposal's significance, design, and it's relationship to the Center's goals. Information about eligibility and the application process can be found on the Pepper Library's Visiting Scholar's Program page.

Editing the Diaries of Senator Pepper

The Pepper Foundation is sponsoring an effort by Dr. Fred Standley of Florida State University to edit and publish the diaries of Claude Pepper. Among the holdings of the Pepper Library are numerous diaries dating from the early 1920s when Pepper was attending Harvard University to the early 1980s when he had already firmly established himself as the "Champion of the Elderly." The diaries will be edited with adequate annotation to provide the reader with information about persons and events referred to by the Senator. The completed publication will provide a larger perspective and fuller portrayal of the many talents, accomplishments and facets of the public and private man. It is anticipated that the diaries will be published in two or three volumes.

Tallahassee Leon County Shelter

Tallahassee Leon County Shelter

The Tallahassee-Leon County Shelter is a leading provider of services to homeless individuals in the city of Tallahassee and Leon County in Florida. The Tallahassee-Leon County Shelter serves all segments of the homeless population with temporary overnight lodging, meals, and a variety of support services. They offer their guests beds, showers, laundry service, dinners and breakfast. They also offer referral to all community services available, including food stamps, housing placement, substance abuse counseling, legal aid, health care, employment and job training.

The Foundation is pleased to support the Shelter's programs to provide emergency and transitional lodging and support services to the homeless population aged 55 to 60 years. The Shelter provides this segment of their diverse populations of homeless persons with a stable living situation, including a reserved bed, a locker for storage, meals, etc. The agency also provides, as funding permits, prescription drugs, vision testing and eyeglasses, and occasionally the cost of bus fare to another city if an individual has relatives that will accept him or her into the household.

Miami Rescue Mission

The Pepper Foundation supports the efforts of the Miami Rescue Mission's Jeffrey A. Tew Education Center by awarding funds to establish the Claude Pepper Scholarship Fund for the Nova Learning Program to educate unemployed persons, increase their self esteem and qualify them for employment. The Nova Program is an innovative computer learning center designed to offer individualized, learning-based adult education and employment programs. The Claude Pepper Scholarship Fund was established with a grant from the Foundation in 1998, and additional funds were awarded in 1999 to be used for costs incurred by the program.

The Miami Rescue Mission is a leading provider of services to homeless men, women and children with facilities in Dade and Broward counties in Florida. The Education Center is named in honor of Jeffrey A. Tew, who has faithfully served the Mission for over twenty years. Visit the Mission's web site at www.miamirescuemission.com