FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

As a former gang leader Beni was intimately familiar with the challenges that people in urban communities struggle with. After experiencing his own radical transformation he devoted his life to helping others experience the same freedom and established Hope4DaHood in 2009. For over 15 years, Beni has been turning dope dealers into hope dealers. He has led community initiatives to bring peace and unity among different warring gangs, reconciliation between racial and ethnic groups, and provide meaningful support and resources to those in the hood. Additionally, Beni is also a rapper who shares encouraging lyrics and invites others to find creative and artistic outlets. He is a lifelong student of leadership and believes that the impossible is only a matter of perspective and time.

Program Director

Simon Balderas, born in Wichita, KS, has a deep passion for serving the urban community. Once caught in a lifestyle of drugs and drinking, Simon experienced a life-changing transformation when he fully devoted his life to Christ. Now, as the Program Director at Hope 4 Da Hood, he is committed to mentoring, uplifting, and equipping individuals to break cycles of brokenness and build a brighter future. A college graduate from Emporia State University, Simon actively serves both in the community and the church, striving to see lives and neighborhoods in Wichita transformed through faith, service, and love.