Son of a Saint
Son of a Saint exists to transform the lives of fatherless boys through mentorship, emotional support, development of life skills, exposure to constructive experiences and formation of positive, lasting peer-to-peer relationships.
Son of a Saint grew from the personal experience of founder Bivian “Sonny” Lee III, who lost his father, a former New Orleans Saints Player, at the age of three. Sonny was raised by a single-mother who prioritized education, therapy, travel, and community service throughout Sonny’s childhood and into young adulthood. As an adult, Sonny saw many fatherless boys struggling as he had. He realized that they lacked the sound support system that he had been afforded as a child, which motivated him to found Son of a Saint in 2011.
Growing up without a father is a challenge facing many young men in New Orleans, Louisiana, and across the Nation. Son of a Saint exists for these boys. We establish long-term support systems for each mentee that provide the stability and opportunity necessary for them to grow into independent, prosperous adults. Every year, Son of a Saint selects a group of boys between the ages of 10-12 to join the existing mentees in our program. Each boy remains a Son of a Saint mentee until he is 18, but we continue to advise and support them in the years that follow. Our current program components include:
- Mentorship
- Mental Health Services
- Case Management
- Educational and Enrichment Activities
- Academic Support
- College Readiness
- Post-secondary Planning