Established in 1980, South Florida Free Beaches is committed to actively representing Naturism and nude recreation to government, business and civic leaders; to preserving public beaches and park lands for all citizens; and to lobbying for the position that a portion of such public lands should be designated for clothing-optional use — just as other portions of public lands are designated for the use of golfers, boaters, tennis players and the like.
In July 1991, SFFB self-designated the northern section of Haulover Beach Park as a Naturist family beach. Since then, we have fought to keep this beach clothing-optional by maintaining a presence on the beach through our Beach Ambassador Program, and by numerous meetings with local government, business and civic leaders. The result: Haulover is now widely recognized as one of the cleanest, safest and most popular beaches in South Florida.
Since 1994, when blanket anti-nudity legislation began to be considered in the Florida legislature, we have maintained a paid professional lobbyist to monitor legislation, and we have actively presented the Naturist viewpoint in person to many state elected officials each year. Our Legal Defense/Political Action Fund supports Naturist-friendly candidates for public office, and is available to assist in appropriate legal actions defending the cause of Naturism. In acknowledgement of this wider role benefiting nude recreation throughout Florida, in 1999 SFFB assumed the name South Florida Free Beaches / Florida Naturist Association.
In 1999, SFFB/FNA became a founding chapter (with Central Florida Naturists, the mentor organization for Playalinda Beach at Canaveral National Seashore) of B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Foundation Institute (Beach Education Advocates for Culture, Health, Environment and Safety), a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt Naturist education foundation. SFFB/FNA is also affiliated with The Naturist Society and the Federation of Canadian Naturists.
SFFB/FNA, a not-for-profit corporation, relies on the support of our sponsors and donors to continue its ongoing mission. Threats to Naturist beach users continue to occur from a small but vocal radical minority, from poorly thought-out and worded legislation, from the ignorance of many regarding the philosophy and intent of Naturism, and also from the commercial development pressure that threatens all our public beaches and other recreational sites.