The Chernobyl nuclear disaster may have occurred nearly thirty years ago, but its devastating radioactive effects still plague a good portion of the region. Aimed at evacuating at-risk children living in that area and providing them with new homes, medical care and education, Chabad’s Children of Chernobyl is a not-for-profit organization that formed back in 1990. And in the years that followed, the group has rescued 2,800 children from the still contaminated region, relocating them to safer places to live in Israel.

 

The organization’s signature event entitled “Children at Heart” spent much of Monday evening celebrating another year of the charity’s success, while using a number of high profile celebrity guests to continue to raise awareness of their mission. The affair’s gala dinner and auction would emanate from the waterfront space of Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers, a picturesque and posh setting befitting such a fundamental cause. Returning as the evening’s emcee, esteemed actor Jon Voight would be joined by local sportscaster Bruce Beck as the night’s auctioneer, as well as red carpet guests like designer Elie Tahari and musician will.i.am to help advocate for CCOC. Just a handful of our red carpet pictures can be seen here- but make sure to visit the website for Chabad’s Children of Chernobyl for a glimpse at some of their monumental successes to date and the work that remains ahead.

- Dave Gendelson