The chief executive officer of a local nonprofit that says it is dedicated to investing millions annually in Duval County’s youth programs and services was fired on Wednesday.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Joe Peppers, the former CEO of the city’s Kids Hope Alliance, broke his silence Tuesday on WJCT radio. Appearing on First Coast Connect, Peppers called Mayor Lenny Curry’s administration “toxic” and accused the mayor and his staff of seeking out “enablers” to execute what Peppers alleged is a corrupt and flawed agenda. And it was a toxic, toxic culture.”Peppers resigned in May of 2020 from his leadership of CEO of KHA, nine months after he was placed on administrative leave during an investigation of workplace misconduct y the city’s Inspector General’s Office. Peppers said he believes the federal grand jury report into the failed attempt to privatize JEA will bolster his claims. So it was it was absolutely a talk, a conversation that was that was circulating amongst the administration.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A city investigation into Joe Peppers, the former head of the Kids Hope Alliance, uncovered he was having an intimate relationship with a senior leadership team member that went sour while they both worked at the city-funded office. The letter outlined concerns involving KHA operations, senior leadership, mismanagement within the organization and allegations of inappropriate relationships involving Peppers. Through interviews, investigators found that Peppers had a consensual sexual relationship with an unnamed senior leadership team member who directly reported to him from Aug. 2018 until Feb. 2019. The senior leadership team member said Peppers “crossed the line” when he mentioned her child, according to the investigation. The text message came a few months after the senior leadership team member told Peppers she planned to resign in August of 2019.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the second time in three years, Mike Weinstein has been selected to run the organization in charge of city youth programs. This time, Weinstein will lead Kids Hope Alliance while Chief Executive Officer Joe Peppers remains on administrative leave pending the outcome of a city investigation. Weinstein, who led the group temporarily after its formation, begins work as acting CEO on March 2. He will be the third person to lead Kids Hope Alliance in roughly seven months. Horner was tapped to run the group with Peppers out of the picture.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Several Jacksonville artists volunteered their time to paint murals with teenagers from the community on Saturday at the Kings Ridge Apartments in Grand Park. Its part of the Kings Teen Stop the Violence Program funded by the Kids Hope Alliance. "When we started painting it is when we saw it could bring better hope to our community," Nayshawn said. Jenn Dews is with the Jacksonville Community Coalition Inc."The residents come out and check on the walls on a regular basis to make sure nobody is damaging them," Dews said. The murals are thanks to a $10,000 grant the coalition received from the Kids Hope Alliance.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry weighed in Thursday on recent upheaval at the Kids Hope Alliance. Top-level executives have left Kids Hope Alliance recently. Just last week, the mayor's office suspended CEO Joe Peppers, revealing Peppers is under investigation by the inspector general. "I expect Kids Hope Alliance, the organization is run by, they have a board and their own CEO now. The day before News4Jax learned Peppers was suspended, an email from Peppers was released.

The fallout from an investigation into the man in charge of Jacksonville's children's programs continues as Kids Hope Alliance board members expressed displeasure that they were not told about an... Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.