Close to 250 guests turned out one recent evening in November to support the “Embracing Possibility,” an annual event hosted by Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford (JFS) at the West Hartford home of Merrill and Mark Mandell. The evening raised more than $100,000 to benefit the JFS Anja Rosenberg Kosher Food Pantry. In addition, JFS took the opportunity to launch “Embrace-A-Family, Embrace-A-Child,” a new campaign initiative intended to alleviate some of the financial and emotional pressures place on families coping with mental illness, and recognized the great success of Tara’s Closet, which has helped clothe 700 families in need since its opening this past August and has also shined a light on the issue of mental illness. “Through the wonderful work of JFS, we will honor Tara. We will try to make the lives of others perhaps a bit easier as they face this battle,” said Barbara Roth, who founded Tara’s Closet as a way of honoring the memory of her daughter, Tara.

CAP: At the “Embracing Possibility” event: (l to r) Mickey and Pia Rosenberg Toro, event co-chairs; Barbara Roth; Judy and David Rosenthal, event co-chairs; Anne Danaher, JFS executive director; Merrill Mandell, JFS chairman; Mark Mandell.