Anthony Benavides serves as the Director of the Clark Park Coalition, a nonprofit organization providing recreational, educational, and social skills programming to youth and families in Clark Park located in southwest Detroit.
After earning a B.S. in Physical Education from Wayne State University, Mr. Benavides became a founding member of the Clark Park Coalition which was established when the Clark Park Recreation Center was closed by the City of Detroit in 1991. Mr. Benavides joined with other community residents and organizations to re-open the Clark Park Recreation Center and provide youth recreational programming. In 1994, Mr. Benavides became the full-time Clark Park Recreation Center Director through partner, People’s Community Services, for the first ten years, and has continued serving as the Director through the Clark Park Coalition since 2004.
Under Mr. Benavides’ leadership, Clark Park has become a year-round hub of recreation and youth development serving over 1,200 youth annually through baseball, softball, soccer, tennis, ice hockey, ice skating, and lacrosse as well as educational, arts, and youth employment programs. Mr. Benavides has expanded Clark Park Coalition programming in partnership with the City of Detroit and other governmental, corporate and nonprofit partners. Mr. Benavides was an appointee to the City of Detroit Recreation Commission Advisory Committee and is an active member of the NHL Hockey is For Everyone initiative. Mr. Benavides has served as a member of The Skillman Foundation’s Young Men of Color grant review committee and the Local Initiatives Support Coalition’s (LISC) Building Sustainable Communities steering committee. He was a member of the Detroit Equity Action Lab and serves as a board member of the Hubbard Farms Neighborhood Association. The Clark Park Coalition has been honored by New Detroit, LISC, the City of Detroit, and the Southwest Detroit Business Association. Mr. Benavides has been honored with the Detroit Lions Hispanic Leadership Award and the Detroit Pistons Game Changer Award. Most recently, Mr. Benavides was selected as one of three finalists for the 2019 NHL Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award. Mr. Benavides was born and raised in Detroit and currently resides in the Hubbard Farms community, three blocks from Clark Park, with his wife. He is the proud father of a daughter and twin sons who grew up playing baseball, softball, and hockey at Clark Park.
Anthony Benavides serves as the Director of the Clark Park Coalition, a nonprofit organization providing recreational, educational, and social skills programming to youth and families in Clark Park located in southwest Detroit.
After earning a B.S. in Physical Education from Wayne State University, Mr. Benavides became a founding member of the Clark Park Coalition which was established when the Clark Park Recreation Center was closed by the City of Detroit in 1991. Mr. Benavides joined with other community residents and organizations to re-open the Clark Park Recreation Center and provide youth recreational programming. In 1994, Mr. Benavides became the full-time Clark Park Recreation Center Director through partner, People’s Community Services, for the first ten years, and has continued serving as the Director through the Clark Park Coalition since 2004.
Under Mr. Benavides’ leadership, Clark Park has become a year-round hub of recreation and youth development serving over 1,200 youth annually through baseball, softball, soccer, tennis, ice hockey, ice skating, and lacrosse as well as educational, arts, and youth employment programs. Mr. Benavides has expanded Clark Park Coalition programming in partnership with the City of Detroit and other governmental, corporate and nonprofit partners. Mr. Benavides was an appointee to the City of Detroit Recreation Commission Advisory Committee and is an active member of the NHL Hockey is For Everyone initiative. Mr. Benavides has served as a member of The Skillman Foundation’s Young Men of Color grant review committee and the Local Initiatives Support Coalition’s (LISC) Building Sustainable Communities steering committee. He was a member of the Detroit Equity Action Lab and serves as a board member of the Hubbard Farms Neighborhood Association. The Clark Park Coalition has been honored by New Detroit, LISC, the City of Detroit, and the Southwest Detroit Business Association. Mr. Benavides has been honored with the Detroit Lions Hispanic Leadership Award and the Detroit Pistons Game Changer Award. Most recently, Mr. Benavides was selected as one of three finalists for the 2019 NHL Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award. Mr. Benavides was born and raised in Detroit and currently resides in the Hubbard Farms community, three blocks from Clark Park, with his wife. He is the proud father of a daughter and twin sons who grew up playing baseball, softball, and hockey at Clark Park. 
