Reading is Fundamental

In December 2008, Rachael teamed up with Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation's oldest and largest children and families' literacy nonprofit organization, to encourage kids to gear up for a year of reading fun through a special feature on the RIF Reading Planet.

A special ice skating video, along with an interview section, inspires families to embark on a "Skating Skidoo" expedition. Jump into January features a story cabin with a winter–themed booklist that includes suggested age–appropriate titles to celebrate the joys of winter. Families can also enjoy an interactive online version of The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.

Rachael also recently filmed a PSA for the organization that can be viewed by clicking here.

For more information on Reading is Fundamental, visit www.rif.org.

Team for Tomorrow Humanitarian Relief Fund

In December 2009, Rachael was named as one of the Athlete Ambassadors for the Team for Tomorrow Humanitarian Relief Fund along with 12 other talented athletes including Noelle Pikus-Pace (skeleton) and Katherine Reutter (speedskating). Launched by America's Olympic and Paralympic athletes and the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) in 2008, Team for Tomorrow is continuing to make a difference for those in need around the world. The newest class of Team for Tomorrow announced details of the 2010 program, including visits to schools to spread the Olympic Ideals, holiday give-aways to at-needs children and the donation of service hours to Habitat for Humanity.

Among her other duties as an Athlete Ambassador, Rachael joined members of the U.S. Figure Skating team for a visit to Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Dec. 21, 2009. The skaters will share their journeys of determination and commitment to reaching their goal – the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games – while encouraging children to reach for their dreams. In addition, the athletes will donate special Team for Tomorrow digital cameras as gifts.

For more on the Team for Tomorrow, visit www.teamusa.org/resources/usoc-programs/team-for-tomorrow-fund.

Skate for Hope

Skate for Hope utilizes figure skating, a sport that epitomizes women's strength, to bring attention, resources and education to the fight against breast cancer. Each year, over 100 figure skaters from the Central Ohio area come together to celebrate life, cancer survivors and the hope of a future free from breast cancer.

In addition to these local skaters, Olympic, world and national champions join the cast to present a spectacular show, honoring those that have been touched by this disease. Rachael is honored to be among the skaters to put her skating talent toward finding a cure.

Check out this video of Rachael's "Single Ladies" performance from the 2011 Skate for Hope show with Alexe Gilles, Emily Samuelson and Caitlin Yankowskas.

Founded by breast cancer survivor Carolyn Bongirno in 2004, Skate for Hope is a not for profit 501c3 charitable organization that donates its proceeds to the Stefanie Spielman Fund at the James Cancer Center and Solove Research Institute and to the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer Research. Skate for Hope has raised over $215,000.

For more information, visit www.skateforhope.org.

I Compete Clean

Rachael is one of the faces for the new "I Compete Clean" campaign for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Other athletes are biathlete Tim Burke, women's hockey player Julie Chu, luger Erin Hamlin, speedskater Trevor Marsicano, wheelchair curler Augusto Perez and alpine skiier Lindsey Vonn, all 2010 Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls or team members.

"I complete clean because I'm true to myself," Rachael said in the public service announcement for USADA. In another she says, "It's really important to aspire to be the best you can be when it's just yourself, when it's just you and your sport. My name is Rachael Flatt and I complete clean."

She encourages athletes and coaches to take the pledge to compete clean or coach clean at www.usada.org/icompeteclean/take-pledge/.

American Association of Orthodontists

Rachael, an orthodontic patient, joined with the American Association of Orthodontists for the Band Together educational campaign, which highlights several of today's trends and advances in orthodontic treatment.

With the program launched around the 2008 Olympic Games, Rachael invited everyone with braces to outfit them with red, white and blue bands around their brackets in support of Team USA at the Summer games in Beijing.

For more information on the American Association of Orthodontists' Band Together program, visit www.braces.org/bandtogether. The Web site features fun extras including braces-friendly recipes from Rachael's mom Jody.

Blades for the Cure

The goal of Blades for the Cure is to use the talents of national and international figure skaters to raise funds to help figure skating families in need due to cancer. The organization was founded in 2008 shortly after the father of 2005 U.S. Novice Men's Champion and 2007 U.S. Junior Men's Bronze medalist Austin Kanallakan was diagnosed with cancer.

In April 2008, Blades for the Cure put on a benefit show in Colorado Springs, Colo., with an all-star cast of skaters including 2008 U.S. Champions Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, 2007 Four Continents Championship bronze medalist Jeremy Abbott, 2007 U.S. Championship silver medalist Ryan Bradley and Rachael. Olympic Champion Peggy Fleming, a breast cancer survivor, emceed and hosted the inaugural show.

For more information on Blades for the Cure, visit www.bladesforthecure.org.