My Mother’s Roots gives away $10K in free gas at Black‑owned St. Louis BP station

A man pumping gas at a BP station on Kingshighway on Thursday had just left school and still needed to get to work. The two destinations were far apart, and gas was another expense he had to cover to make the trip.

He headed to the station when he learned that My Mother’s Roots, a North St. Louis child care center, was giving away gas at the Black-owned station.

“I gotta go to work and school,” said the man, who only identified himself as Rick. “They both two opposite ways.” The help, he said, came at the right time.

My Mother’s Roots spent $10,000 on gas for drivers, offering up to $50 per vehicle. The giveaway lasted about two hours.

Micalan Hampton, a representative of My Mother’s Roots, said it was the second year her family had organized a gas giveaway. They chose the BP on Kingshighway because they wanted to help neighbors while supporting a Black-owned business.

“In order for our community to grow, we have to give to our community,” Hampton said.

One driver stood out to her. Hampton said the woman arrived with almost no gas and did not know how she would pay for more. Hampton helped pump gas into her car.

The relief came as prices climbed across the region. Regular gas Thursday averaged $4.13 a gallon on the Missouri side of the St. Louis area, according to AAA. That was about 17 cents more than a week earlier and 30 cents more than a month earlier.

BP station owner Rodney Scales said he has operated the business since 1995. He said he appreciated that My Mother’s Roots chose his station for the giveaway. Drivers continued to arrive an hour after the money ran out.

“It’s a sign of showing that the community is hurting,” Scales said. “Something needs to be done down here.”