Football University is a fun and instructional workshop to teach ladies the x’s and o’s of football. Presented by Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University Orthopedics - Team Physicians for the St. Louis Rams, Football University proceeds benefit the United Way of Greater St. Louis.

For the past several years, Steven Jackson has partnered with the NFL for the “Take a Player to School” sweepstakes, which provides a local student with the ultimate “show and tell” opportunity of taking the Rams’ running back to school. “Take a Player to School” centers on inspiring youth to make the most of their in-school and afterschool time by making smart and healthy choices and by setting goals and working to achieve them.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital The Rams have had a long relationship with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and have partnered with the charity on several fundraising events over the past several years. Money raised has enabled St. Jude to continue its internationally recognized pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Since opening in 1962, St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and around the world, including the St. Louis region. The fundraising arm of St. Jude covers all costs for medical care not covered by insurance and families without insurance are never asked to pay.

The Play 60 Club allows youth the opportunity to earn tickets to Rams home games by pledging to be active and make healthy choices. Sponsored by Centene Corporation, the Rams’ Play 60 Club is an extension of Play 60, an initiative of the NFL which focuses on the health and wellness of young fans by encouraging them to be active daily for at least 60 minutes. The process for being selected as a Play 60 Club member begins with a pledge to Play 60 minutes a day and requires a plan on how the pledge will be put into action. For creative ideas of how you can Play 60, visit www.nflrush.com. Video

An organization with a long tradition of embracing diversity, the Rams were the first professional sports team in the modern era to sign an African-American player — even before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Years later, the team remains committed to promoting diversity and inclusion. After helping launch the Diversity Awareness Partnership (DAP) in 2000, the Rams have continued to unite over 100 organizations in the effort to reduce bias and discrimination, and promote the value of difference among the people of St. Louis. For more information, visit www.dapstl.org.

The Healthy Youth Partnership (HYP) is a collaboration of more than 75 community organizations from diverse sectors, which were brought together by the Rams Foundation and the Greater St. Louis Community Foundation, to combat youth obesity and advance the health of children and youth in the bi-state region. Together, they have implemented a set of pilot programs, shared best practices to improve current programming and build a network of resources to foster a regional commitment to health outcomes for the area’s children. For more information, visit www.healthyyouthpartnership.org.

The St. Louis Rams, in partnership with CHARACTERplus®, has supported the development and expansion of important initiatives that help school communities build consensus around the values and character traits that should be integrated into the culture and curricula of the school. The program’s initiatives include the St. Louis Rams Huddle-Up micro web site and the Huddle-Up advisory board. This year, the Rams sponsored the Missouri “Schools of Character” Awards program as well as the development of a “Rams Caring Community School” at Patrick Henry Elementary.

CHARACTERplus®, a project of Cooperating School District, works to advance the cause of character education and sustain its impact on the lives of educators and students by: designing, promoting and facilitating processes and best practices; serving educators and enhancing their commitment to character education; actively recruiting and developing community support; and continually evaluating the impact of programs and services.

The Rams and St. Louis Public Schools have collaborated to create the Rams Fitness Team, a program implemented in the St. Louis City schools that includes football instruction through the inclusion of flag football and NFL Punt, Pass and Kick clinics as a part of the curricula. Through a collaborative arrangement with the Healthy Youth Partnership, professional development opportunities are provided to all physical education teachers. The Rams Fitness Team also recognizes the importance of physical education teachers in today’s schools through the Physical Education Teacher of the Year program.

The Rams have joined with the NFL to identify opportunities to enhance, promote and recognize positive aspects of football at every level. The team, with support from the local chapter of the National Football Foundation and USA Football, has led the way in promoting amateur football and youth development, sportsmanship and academic excellence. As a part of these efforts, the Rams host the St. Louis Rams/USA Football Youth Coaching School. Additional efforts include offering pre-collegiate football and life skills instruction through the NFL High School Player Development Program 7 on 7 Tournament. This year, 12 HSPD participants traveled to Minnesota to compete in the National HSPD Tournament.

The Rams have also partnered with PHL, Inc. and the NFL Grassroots Football Fields grant program to refurbish and maintain St. Louis Public School athletic fields. During the 2009 offseason, the Rams contributed $200,000 to construct a new multi-purpose outdoor facility for Sumner High School and the surrounding community. The facility will include a state-of-the-art Sprinturf field, lights, bleachers, restrooms and pavilion in Tandy Park. The new field will accommodate the school’s football and soccer teams, as well as other large-scale community events. Financially, the Rams have committed more than $450,000 to provide safe and accessible football field in the bi-state area.

In honor of late Rams’ owner and chairman, Georgia Frontiere, the St. Louis Rams have renamed their annual Community Quarterback Awards the Georgia Frontiere Community Quarterback Awards. The program will continue to award $20,000 to local non-profits in recognition of outstanding volunteer service. Since the program’s inception in 2000, the Rams have donated more than $170,000 to community groups through this initiative. The Georgia Frontiere Community Quarterback Award honors individuals who exemplify leadership, dedication and a commitment to improving the community in which they live. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to nominate individuals, age 13 or over, who serve local charities in a volunteer capacity only and receive no monetary compensation for their efforts.

Introduced in 1999, Hometown Huddle is a day for NFL players and coaches from all 32 teams to participate in various community service activities through their local United Way partners. In addition to this specific league-wide initiative, the Rams continue to show their leadership and commitment to the United Way of Greater St. Louis throughout the year and have donated more than $800,000 since moving to St. Louis in 1995.

During the holidays, the Rams team up with the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis BAMSL) to open the Edward Jones Dome for more than 3,000 underprivileged children. The kids enjoy holiday gifts, live entertainment, a book corner, activity booths, arts and crafts and visits with Santa as well as Rams players and cheerleaders.

The Rams support Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis by hosting the annual Bikes for Kids program, which provides new bicycles to children from Variety partner agencies. In addition to a bike, each child receives a helmet and fitting, bike lock, t-shirt and safety instruction. To date, Bikes for Kids has provided bikes for more than 2,000 children. Rams’ owners Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez sit on Variety’s board and help with the organization’s mission of serving children with physical and mental disabilities in the Greater St. Louis region.

The Rams have helped to raise more than $160,000 through Bowl-a-RAM-a, an annual event that benefits the Epilepsy Foundation of St. Louis. Through prevention, education and advocacy, the Epilepsy Foundation enables people with seizures to participate in all life experiences. The proceeds raised from this event benefit the communities of eastern and southern Missouri as well as southeastern Illinois.

Recognizing the significant daily contributions of our nations’ military, as well as the St. Louis metropolitan area police and fire departments, the Rams have honored these “everyday heroes” in a variety of ways over the past several years, including in-game salutes and visits to Russell Training Center.

The Rams have been involved with the Komen St. Louis Race for the Cure since the event’s inception in 1999. Participation has included sponsorship of the event, as well as having players and cheerleaders at the finish line to congratulate participants and hand out pink roses to breast cancer survivors. In 2008, the Rams formed “Team Georgia” and invited the public to join in the fight against breast cancer in memory of the Rams late team owner and chairman, Georgia Frontiere, who lost her valiant fight with breast cancer in January of 2008. In its two years of existence, Team Georgia has raised more than $43,000 to fund breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs both locally and nationally.

Each year, the Rams offensive line hosts families in need at Russell Training Center where they serve them Thanksgiving dinner.

Although mostly recognized for their entertaining performances on the sidelines, the majority of the Rams cheerleaders’ time is spent giving back to the community. The squad averages more than 550 hours of charitable service and 850 appearances in the bi-state region annually. In addition to local engagements, Rams cheerleaders entertain both nationally and internationally at military bases. During this past offseason, several cheerleaders traveled to Iraq and Kuwait to salute our troops, with several others traveling overseas to Afghanistan in September.

The Rams Rookie Club provides service to the community through a variety of volunteer efforts designed specifically for first year players. Past Rookie Club Community efforts have included hospital and school visits.

Since the team arrived in St. Louis in 1995, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro St. Louis and the Rams have been teaming up each year to make wishes come true for local children. Rams players assist in Make-A-Wish’s fundraising efforts by “working” as celebrity servers. Over the years, the event has raised more than $630,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In cooperation with the American Red Cross, the Rams host an annual blood drive. As part of the festivities, donors have the opportunity to mingle with Rams players and wives, watch a Rams highlight video and receive a commemorative T-shirt.

Each year, the Rams host the Taste of the NFL-St. Louis, a food and wine tasting extravaganza, featuring samples from St. Louis’ top restaurants and beverage providers. Attendees are able to sample specialty foods, bid on unique items and meet the participating chefs and various Rams players. Taste of the NFL-St. Louis has raised more than $360,000 for the St. Louis Area Foodbank and the St. Louis Sports Commission.

Annually, the Rams players, cheerleaders and staff work with the Urban League of St. Louis and Schnucks Markets to distribute more than 1,000 turkey dinners to local families for Thanksgiving.