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 was founded in 2011 by Bivian "Sonny" Lee III, inspired by his own experience of losing his father at age three. Raised by a devoted mother who prioritized education, therapy, and service, Sonny was able to navigate the challenges associated with loss. As an adult, he saw many boys facing similar challenges and founded SOAS to give them the support he had.

Son of a Saint serves young men ages 10-12 from the New Orleans area who are fatherless due to death, incarceration, deportation, abandonment, or adoption by a single mother. Each boy remains in the program until age 21, receiving long-term, holistic support to help them overcome obstacles and reach their fullest potential. Our program offers mentees one-on-one and group mentorship, mental health counseling, academic support, case management, career development, and exposure to new experiences.

Across our programs, SOAS has maintained a 100% high school graduation rate, 80% college enrollment, and strong career placements. Mentees outperform local and national averages academically and report greater confidence and motivation. Since 2011, we've graduated over 60 young men who now serve as mentors and role models.

Testimonials

"Son of a Saint taught me the true definition of sacrifice. With every mentor in Son of a Saint, they were always one call away and always found a way to help ease our lives. Personally, I know that I did not have the most welcoming schedule and it was difficult at times to navigate, but mentors, if needed, were one call away. They won't hold your hand, as you need to develop and make mistakes, but like bumper rails, they'll never let you veer off course. They will find a way to inspire and motivate you somehow, and having that in your corner makes success a lot easier to achieve."

- Son of a Saint Mentee Alumni, Miles Stewart, United States Military Academy at West Point Class of 2025