NEW ORLEANS — Son of a Saint will host its 2021 Annual Gala signature fundraising event on Thursday, Dec. 9 in partnership with the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans. The gala is presented by Jones Walker LLP, the Richard C. Adkerson Family Foundation and Freeport-McMoRan Corporation. Bill Hines, managing partner of Jones Walker is this year’s gala chair. Now in its eighth year, Son of a Saint’s annual gala raises funds to support the nonprofit’s myriad programming events, including providing holistic mentorship to hundreds of young men throughout Greater New Orleans.
Attendees will be welcomed with a patron cocktail party from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. presented by Moët-Hennessy, Brown-Forman, and the Link Stryjewski Foundation, preceding the main event. Gala guests will then enjoy musical entertainment, a three-course dinner with open bar, as well as a live auction. Four Son of a Saint mentees will assist gala chair Bill Hines as special guest emcees for the evening. As Son of a Saint continues its crucial work of enhancing the lives of nearly 200 fatherless young men throughout the New Orleans area — its highest mentee enrollment to date — all proceeds generated from the event will directly support the organization’s core mission and its future growth.
Marquee sponsors for the gala include Crescent River Port Pilots Foundation, Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Latter & Blum Inc., NOLA COVID Testing, The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate, and Andrew Yeates and Chris Cedatol.
Through generous in-kind sponsorship, Wink Design & Events will provide the décor in collaboration with J. Harden Event and Prop Rentals, and audiovisual production will be overseen by Corporate Lighting. Brown-Forman is generously providing additional spirits and libations throughout the evening, along with the Jose Cuervo brand, in support of the ongoing “Sonny’s Margarita” citywide fundraising campaign.
Son of a Saint will host a dynamic afterparty experience immediately following the gala dinner, from 10:00 p.m. to midnight inside the hotel’s M Bistro connected to The Davenport Lounge, highly regarded as one of the Crescent City’s premier live music venues. All gala attendees will receive complimentary entry and access to the premium open bar, jazz performances by Jeremy Davenport, and enjoy additional dance party entertainment by DJ RQ Away.
“This is a wonderful way for us to safely return and continue hosting our most-coveted signature event back at the Ritz-Carlton, and we couldn’t be prouder to continue this partnership and to welcome all the newfound support from those who enthusiastically believe in our mission,” says Son of a Saint Founder and CEO Bivian “Sonny” Lee III. “2020 and 2021 brought tremendous growth for us. We’ve been fortunate to continue our momentum and share successes alongside our dedicated partners. Each year, this gala is our greatest fundraising event, offering the opportunity to acknowledge our boys and the talented individuals and mentors who collectively fuel this organization. We would simply not exist without their support.”
The organization has increased its class of mentees from 10 boys in its inaugural year to its current slate of nearly 200 young men — marking a twentyfold increase in its first decade of existence. Son of a Saint holistically sponsors youth between the ages of 10 and 21, providing mentorship; education; mental health services; travel experiences to expand horizons; as well as internship and career-development learning opportunities.
For more information about Son of a Saint, including its active capital campaign and its overall future growth plans, please visit www.sonofasaint.org or call (504) 561-7508. Son of a Saint also welcomes other contributions, which can be mailed to: P.O. Box 19025, New Orleans, LA 70119.
