Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park is a non-profit corporation with a mission of generating supplemental resources to preserve, restore, and interpret the natural and cultural assets of John D. MacArthur Beach State Park for present and future generations. John D. MacArthur Beach State Park was established to protect a diverse and undisturbed subtropical coastal habitat from development. The Park is named for John D. MacArthur, whose generosity allowed the State of Florida to secure the land. Developed in part with funds donated by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Park opened to the public in 1989. In addition to protecting our natural heritage, John D. MacArthur Beach State Park is a model public-private partnership. Owned by the State of Florida, the staff and daily needs of the Park are funded by the State. Since its founding in 1990, the Friends organization has enriched and enhanced the Park by soliciting donations, seeking volunteers, raising funds, holding special events and by operating a gift shop. All funds raised by the Friends support the Park, making a visit more educational, memorable and fun. Section 258.015 of the Florida Statutes provides that the purpose of a Citizen Support Organization (CSO) is to “operate for the direct or indirect benefit of the state park system or individual units of the state park system.” Through this statute we are authorized to raise funds, seek and receive grants, accept gifts, bequests of money and tangible or real property; these funds help us meet the needs of Park education programs, activities, visitor amenities, facility maintenance and updating.