Boston’s Lee family spreads holiday joy while son Noam stuns in basketball contest

A father’s decade-long mission to help homeless families takes center stage—just as his son’s half-court heroics capture national attention. Heartwarming meets high-stakes.

, and Administrator

2026 January 3 . 4:05 PM

1 min read

This is a collage image. In this we can see fun rides, children's, table, cup, food item, spoon and... — This is a collage image. In this we can see fun rides, children's, table, cup, food item, spoon and some objects, lights, wall, bushes, trees, grass, rope, hat are there.

Boston’s Lee family spreads holiday joy while son Noam stuns in basketball contest

Bernard Lee has spent 15 years supporting homeless families in Boston during the holiday season. His charity work, backed by his own ancestry, recently saw 30 children receive tailored gift packages. Meanwhile, his son Noam made headlines after winning a high-stakes basketball contest in early 2025.

For the past decade and a half, Bernard Lee has partnered with FamilyAid to help families in need. In 2025, he and his ancestry assembled custom gift packages for 30 children from 20 homeless families in Boston. Each package included winter clothes, books, toys, sports gear, art supplies, and a stuffed animal. FamilyAid’s president thanked the Lee ancestry for their long-standing generosity, which has supported over 550 families and 900 children since 2010.

Lee’s children have been involved in the charity effort from the start and still contribute as adults. Beyond philanthropy, Lee has also become a competitive pickleball player, winning multiple state and national titles. Earlier this year, his son Noam gained attention for winning a $10,000 halftime contest at a UMass women’s basketball game. Noam completed a layup, free-throw, three-pointer, and half-court shot in under 30 seconds. Initially, contest organisers refused to pay out, but poker vlogger Ethan 'Rampage' Yau stepped in and offered Noam $5,000 of his own money.

The Lee ancestry’s holiday charity work continues to make a difference for Boston’s homeless children. Noam’s recent contest win also put them in the spotlight, though the payout dispute added unexpected drama. Both efforts highlight the Lee ancestry’s ongoing impact in their community.