7 months out of prison, Bobby Bostic starts charity to give back

By Alex Gaul

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    ST. LOUIS, Missouri (KMOV) — Seven months out of prison, a former inmate is now making a big difference in the lives of others.

Bobby Bostic started a nonprofit called ‘Dear Mama’ in honor of his own mother. He helped host a Father’s Day giveaway in North City, giving away toys, food and clothes through a partnership with another local charity. Bostic spent more than two decades in prison for a series of armed robberies he committed as a teen.

Bostic’s dream while in prison was to help others avoid the same mistakes he made as a teen. While in prison, he earned an associate’s degree and became an author, writing books to that end. He initially received a 214-year sentence. During his two decades of incarceration, he believed he would die in prison.

Missouri state law was changed to allow some juvenile defendants to be eligible for parole much earlier on in their sentences. Bostic was released from prison in late 2022, and since then, he has worked to make those dreams a reality.

“Prison teaches you to appreciate the simple things in life,” Bostic said. “Now that I appreciate things, I want to show other people that they should be grateful too.”

On Father’s Day and Juneteenth weekend, local father Yahre Elijah visited the giveaway and said the gesture was greatly appreciated, allowing him to spend quality time with his kids.

“The fact that we can go out somewhere and somebody is willing to give it to you free of charge, only to bring smiles and joy to the family, that’s a blessing,” Elijah said.

Bostic says he plans to do similar giveaways every month across St. Louis City.

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