Seneca County Public Guardianship Program Receives $65,000 in grant funding from Allen Eiry Foundation
Judge Jay A. Meyer, the Seneca County Probate Court, and the Seneca County Public Guardian are proud to announce that the Seneca County Public Guardianship Program has been awarded a $65,000 grant from the Allen Eiry Fund to continue its around-the-clock guardianship and conservatorship services for qualifying Seneca County senior citizens.
The Allen Eiry Fund, managed by the Columbus Foundation, was established in 1983 in the name of Allen Eiry, a well-known Seneca County resident, businessman and farmer who sought to help our community’s most vulnerable seniors receive the help and support they need. The Allen Eiry Fund has supported the Seneca County Public Guardianship Program for over thirty years. Judge Meyer and Public Guardian Jay Rishty wish to extend their heartfelt thanks to the Allen Eiry Fund Advisory Committee and the Columbus Foundation for their continued support of and confidence in the Public Guardianship Program.
The Public Guardianship Program provides 24/7 guardianship and conservatorship services to indigent Seneca County residents aged fifty-five and older who have been declared legally incompetent or struggle with a medical or mental disability. The Public Guardian is very involved in the lives of his clients. He meets with them regularly, takes them to the doctor and counseling appointments, helps them stay med-compliant, connects them to preventative care and resources they need to defray future medical costs, and makes educated medical and financial decisions for them when necessary. Perhaps more importantly, the Public Guardian serves as a much-needed trusted friend to his clients.
In 2024, the Public Guardian served thirty-five clients with a wide range of services. This is a 50% increase in the number of clients served over the past six years. The generous support from the Allen Eiry Fund, along with additional support from the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Seneca, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Wyandot Counties and the Seneca County Commission on Aging, makes this possible.
“I am incredibly proud of the lifechanging – and often lifesaving – work that our Public Guardian does for our community’s most vulnerable seniors and those who battle mental illness,” Judge Meyer said. “The Public Guardian is a constant source of support and a beacon of hope for his clients who depend on him to be there twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. We are so grateful to the Allen Eiry Fund Advisory Committee and the Columbus Foundation for entrusting us with the funds to support our Public Guardian’s efforts.”
Rishty also expressed his gratitude.
“As Public Guardian, my first priority is to help our community’s seniors and those battling mental illness to live safely and in the most independent setting possible. My clients know that they can reach out to me at any time when they need help, support, advice or a friendly listening ear. The ongoing support from the Allen Eiry Fund, the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, and the Commission on Aging provide me the opportunity to provide those services at no cost to my clients,” Rishty said. “Thank you to the Allen Eiry Fund Advisory Committee and the Columbus Foundation for ensuring that we can continue to provide the best possible services to our program participants.”
To learn more about the Seneca County Public Guardianship Program, the history of Allen Eiry, and the Probate Court’s Annual Report, please visit http://www.senecajpcourt.com.