CENTER TWP — Jackie Carson always has a song in her heart.

She has plenty of kindness and compassion in there as well.

The 1999 Moniteau graduate and Harrisville resident is planning to use her music to contribute financially to people in need. She wrote and performed her first song, “I Wanna Dance,” in 2019 and has been pursuing a professional singing career ever since.

“I’ve been singing since I was 3,” Carson said. “It’s been my dream to sing professionally, but it’s even more important to me to help others. So I came up with the Cause Tour as a way to do both.”

Carson has been working with a pair of backup dancers — Slippery Rock University sophomore Katrina Rowe of Cleveland, Ohio, and Butler resident Aleah Bednarz, who now owns and operates the Butler School of Dance. The three practice in that facility for two hours each Sunday.

A pop urban/R&B singer and songwriter, Carson is planning a tour at which the profits of half the merchandise she sells will go to causes such as helping families pay for cancer treatment expenses or car accident bills. Money raised will also benefit volunteer firefighters and families of fallen military or police heroes.

Her current label is Firebird Sounds in Maine, a company that has worked with Pittsburgh-based country singer Gabby Barrett.

The first families to reach out to Carson were that of 9-year-old Aiden Bartley of Butler, who is fighting pancreatic cancer, and a stunt woman from Los Angeles whose mother was recently diagnosed with cancer.

“I have the idea of the tour out on social media,” Carson said. “I’ve heard from a woman battling breast cancer in Texas. I plan to go wherever I’m needed on this tour. After each performance, I want to hand the family I’m performing for money directly, from me to them.”

The first show of the Cause Tour is being planned to benefit the Bartley family. It will likely be held in late September.

“I don’t have a venue yet ... If I have to rent a hall, I will,” Carson said.

She first thought of the idea when a high school friend of her son’s, Branson Carson, died by suicide. That same family later had to deal with the death of the boy’s father in an automobile accident.

“Middle class people work so hard ... I know some who had to cash in their 401(k) plans to pay for medical bills,” Carson said. “It’s just not right. I went to a benefit for my son’s friend’s family. It just hit me: I have a means to help people. Why not do it?

“If (families) make too much for assistance or are not blessed with extreme wealth ... or maybe to help pay toward home care if an Alzheimer’s patient in early stages isn’t wanting to leave their home to live in a nursing home just yet. My siblings and I went through that.”

Bednarz, who attended SRU and met Rowe through a dance class they took there, was Branson Carson’s prom date. She dropped out of SRU when the opportunity arose to take over the dance studio.

“I knew Jackie before (the prom date),” Bednarz said. “When she told me about the tour, I wanted to be on board with it. The studio was the perfect place to practice.”

Bednarz told Rowe about the Cause Tour, that Carson was looking for other backup dancers. Rowe expressed interest immediately.

But living at home in Cleveland during the summer, she was unable to commute to Butler for the Sunday practices. She finally got there last Sunday.

“I have been doing the songs with them virtually,” Rowe said. “That was difficult because it’s hard to get on the same page with the beat. We managed to pull it off, but it’s so much better in person.

“Jackie has a lot of talent. I love working with her. I’m excited about the prospects of this.”

While Carson is willing to travel all over the country for the Cause Tour, Bednarz and Rowe are uncertain how often they will be able to join her. Rowe is continuing her education at SRU, and Bednarz is at the dance studio every day.

But if they can work it out, they’re making the trips.

“Absolutely,” Bednarz said. “I teach classes here daily. If I can get a substitute to come in for a few days, I’m going with her. I love the idea of what she’s doing.”

“Going through an experience like that (on the road) would be well worth it,” Rowe said.

Carson plans to pay her backup dancers and will have to use some of the money gained from the concerts to pay travel and hotel expenses. The rest is going to the particular family in need.

Carson said she is hoping businesses will donate gift cards to the cause. She plans on having an auction or 50/50 drawing at each event as well.

She also is selling bracelets for $8 each. The bracelets are in various colors, and Carson wears them up and down her arms to keep them in the public eye.

Carson has made plenty of connections through her music. She’s worked with Pam Crawford, who has done work with Janet Jackson. She’s worked with Troy Mitchell, who’s based in Virginia and has worked with Teddy Riley, Timbaland and Salt-N-Pepa.

Carson was a cheerleader during her high school years at Moniteau and was a setter on the volleyball team. Her son is a pitcher for Slippery Rock University and has aspirations of playing professional baseball.

His mother has professional aspirations of her own. She writes all of her own music.

“This is a tough industry to crack,” Carson said of the music business. “Song writing is so difficult, but I love doing it. Helping people in need while getting my own name out there and building a following ... it’s a win-win, really.”