Centrally Rooted Uses Music, Creative Arts to Empower Children

When it comes to supporting local non-profits, there might not be an easier and more impactful program than Kwik Care.

If you're not aware, Kwik Care has helped raise both funds and awareness for local nonprofits. Each month, Kwik Stop and Dairy Queen help collect donations for a different organization. Donations can be made easily by requesting your total purchase at any of those businesses (including at the gas pumps at Kwik Stop) be rounded up to the nearest dollar. The additional cents used to round up will be donated to the respective charity of the month.

This month's Kwik Care recipient is Centrally Rooted, located on Central Avenue in Dubuque. Centrally Rooted offers a number of programs for everyone from very young children to grandparents. They are predicated on providing the community with "an interactive growth space that supports the development of positive mental health in creative ways," per the mission statement on their website.

Both Heather Hamm of Kwik Stop/Rainbo Oil and Callie FitzGerald, Founder of Centrally Rooted, stopped by the studio to discuss the types of programs Centrally Rooted brings to the area.

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Callie spoke about a wide variety of programs Centrally Rooted has for young kids. Their flagship program, "Mindful Musicians," is currently amidst its final weeks of enrollment. Classes begin on September 29th. If you're a parent, caregiver, or grandparent of a child ages 0-6, you can sign them up for Mindful Musicians as a way to help them build positive brain health from a formative age.

You can sign up for "Mindful Musicians" and other classes on Centrally Rooted's website.

Here are all the locations where you can make a donation to Centrally Rooted in the month of September:

• Kwik Stop on Pennsylvania Avenue
• Kwik Stop on JFK Road
• Kwik Stop on University Avenue
• Kwik Stop on E. 16th Street
• BP Kwik Stop on E. 16^th Street
• Kwik Stop on Twin Valley Drive (Key West)
• Kwik Stop on Gateway Drive
• Family Mart by Kwik Stop on 32^nd & Central
• Kwik Stop in Peosta
• Kwik Stop in Delhi
• Kwik Stop on Kerper Boulevard

All month long, Kwik Stop and Dairy Queen will be taking donations that will go directly to Centrally Rooted via the aforementioned Kwik Care canisters at the counter or if customers request their purchase-total be rounded up to the nearest dollar (the difference going to Centrally Rooted).

Take a listen to my interview with Heather Hamm of Kwik Stop and Callie FitzGerald of Centrally Rooted below! Centrally Rooted is located at 2230 Central Avenue in Dubuque. You can also find them on Facebook!