Rick had just left school and still needed to get to work. The two were miles apart, and with gas prices climbing again, he had to figure out how to afford both trips. On Thursday, he learned that My Mother’s Roots was giving away free gas at a Black‑owned BP station on Kingshighway. The timing couldn’t have been better.
“I gotta go to work and school,” Rick said. “They both two opposite ways.” The help came right when he needed it.
My Mother’s Roots, a north St. Louis child care center, spent $10,000 on gas for drivers, offering up to $50 per vehicle. The giveaway lasted about two hours and drew a steady line of cars as word spread through the neighborhood and across social media.
Micalan Hampton, a representative of My Mother’s Roots, said this was the second year her family organized a gas giveaway. They chose the BP station intentionally — to support neighbors while also pouring into a Black‑owned business that has served the community for more than three decades.
“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 didn’t know how she would pay for more. Hampton helped pump gas into her car, and the woman left with enough fuel to get through the day.
The relief came as gas prices climbed across the region. Regular gas averaged $4.13 a gallon Thursday in the Missouri portion 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. Those increases hit hardest for residents already juggling work, school and family responsibilities.
BP owner Rodney Scales has operated the station since 1995. He said he appreciated that My Mother’s Roots chose his business for the giveaway, especially at a time when many customers are struggling to keep up with rising costs.
For My Mother’s Roots, the giveaway was an extension of the work they do every day. The center serves families across north St. Louis, many of whom face financial challenges that go beyond child care. Hampton said the gas giveaway is one way to meet people where they are — and to ease a burden that can determine whether someone gets to work, makes it to class or keeps a household running.
Rick left the station with a full tank and a sense of relief. For him, the support meant he could get through another day balancing school and work without having to choose between the two.
Even after the money ran out, drivers continued to pull into the lot hoping that the giveaway was still going.
“It’s a sign of showing that the community is hurting,” Scales said. “Something needs to be done down here.”