If you live or work in New York City and you want to get involved in a new philanthropic effort for Russia's orphans, head to the Times Square area today or Saturday.

St. Malachy's Church/Actors' Chapel Square is hosting a two-day exhibition and sale of art work created by orphans in Saratov. The church is located at 239 W. 49th, which is between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. The exhibit will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. There will be a piano concert from 2 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, with Russian musician Peter Finarovsky performing the music of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov.

The art show and recital has been organized by a relatively new philanthropic group known as Project Radiance. The group, which is based in both Russia and the U.S., says it takes its name from the Russian word radonezh, meaning happiness and tenderness--which is what it is striving for with the Saratov orphans.

Project Radiance has a broad agenda, from improving orphanage facilities to organizing additional shows of its art, and, of course, working directly with the Saratov orphans, teaching English, computer literacy and life skills. It also has just unveiled a pen-pan project and is looking for American families and individuals to correspond via e-mail with children from Saratov State Children's Home No. 2. Judging by the bios on the Project Radiance site, the children all seem to be sixth grade or older, just the sort of kids who are going to need to begin preparing to graduate from the orphanage.

Project Radiance seems to have backing from high-level Russian expatriates in the United States, and it operates as a 501(c)3 charity under the aegis of the Sovereign Order of the Orthodox Knights Hospitaller of Saint John of Jerusalem, based in the New York City suburb of Mount Vernon. If you want to be involved with this, or any Project Radiance effort, e-mail the charity at radonezh@radonezh.info.

Image, credit: A church in Saratov, Wikimedia Commons