Exploring Life & Business with Eli Barajas of NE CITY WASH

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eli Barajas.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born in 1980 in Los Angeles, California, and I come from a good family. But growing up, the streets eventually got a hold of me—and once they did, I couldn’t let go. I was in love with the lifestyle: gangs, drugs, partying, and women. That life became my addiction.

By the time I was 33 years old, I had two sons, Eli Jr. and Ozias. On the surface, things looked stable—I had a good job—but I didn’t know how to manage money or responsibility, and that became my downfall. More importantly, I took a hard, honest look at my life and realized that if I didn’t change, I wasn’t going to be around to truly father my boys.

That realization led me to Victory Homes International. Through that program—and through the grace of God—my life was completely turned around. I learned discipline, accountability, faith, and purpose. The street mentality that once defined me was replaced with a desire to serve and lead.

At 40 years old, something else powerful happened: the mother of my children, after 20 years of turmoil and brokenness, became my wife. Our relationship was restored, and our family was healed—something I once thought was impossible.

In 2018, I took on the role of CEO of Victory Resources. Our core belief is simple: the most important thing you can build is people—because people build everything. Our mission is to bring resources to inner-city communities and at-risk youth by offering real alternatives and new pathways in life. We focus on education, empowerment, and leadership development so the next generation can rise stronger than the one before them.

Through Victory Resources, we provide financial literacy classes, backpack giveaways, Thanksgiving food drives, and Christmas toy giveaways. To date, we have distributed over 300 backpacks to children in need, fed more than 600 families during Thanksgiving, and provided over 700 toys to children during the Christmas season.

Our signature and largest annual event is “The Hood Olympics.” Yes—we bring the Olympics to the hood. Each year, we unite Southern California and beyond to celebrate talent, discipline, and excellence through sports and healthy competition. The Hood Olympics draws over 3,000 attendees and this year marks our 5th anniversary celebration.

The Hood Olympics is more than an event—it’s a movement. We use it to raise awareness around ending gang violence, gun violence, substance abuse, and to address mental health, while promoting unity. Because real change will take all of us working together. We stay true to Olympic tradition by awarding gold, silver, and bronze medals, along with countless door prizes—showing our community that excellence deserves recognition.

My story is proof that transformation is possible. And my mission is to help others realize that their past does not disqualify them from a powerful future.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not a smooth ride at all. we have been moving by faith. it’s extremely stressful not having funding. gathering people to help. the basics. but at the end of the day the mission is always accomplished.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
NE City Wash is a commercial and residential pressure washing company dedicated to creating clean, safe, and welcoming environments. We take pride in maintaining properties at the highest standard—improving safety, appearance, and longevity. Through our work, we make a positive impact not only personally and locally, but with a broader vision of contributing to cleaner communities on a global scale. I am also getting my C-39 roofing license this month and will open up a new roofing business.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I am a 3 time National Champion in Handball.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Vsources.org
• Instagram: vsourcesla
• Facebook: vsourcesla