Ray Rice -- CHARITY BLITZKRIEG ... In Image Makeover Campaign

After months under the radar, Ray Rice is hitting the charity scene HARD -- bouncing from fundraisers to toy drives and other events (all on camera of course) ... in an effort to prove he's not a monster.

On Saturday, the couple hosted "Ray and Janay's Holiday Toy Drive" at Steiner Sports headquarters in New Rochelle, NY ... which happens to be Ray's hometown.

We're told the couple handed out more than 150 toys to kids ... and then donated $10k to the Evelyn Sachs Steiner Home for Girls and the Jerome Wagner Youth Residence for Boys.

Our sources tell us the event came together about a month ago.

After the event, Ray and Janay went to a nearby housing project where Ray grew up -- and a rep tells us the couple "surprised a young mother and her three daughters with a box full of presents."

The cameras were rolling (of course) ... and Janay posted the footage on her Instagram account.

Just a few days earlier, the couple attended a Toys for Tots drive organized by his ex-teammate Torrey Smith. Ray made sure to speak to the media and asked the public for forgiveness.

There's more ... Janay also posted a photo of Ray posing with a sick child during a recent hospital visit -- and included a message about how the running back is focused on "giving back."

Sources close to the couple tell us ... Ray has made it clear to friends and associates that he hopes his charity work will help to save his image and get him back into the good graces of the public.