LYME/OLD SAYBROOK — With so many Connecticut families feeling the financial pain of inflation, Saybrook District Probate Judge Jeannine Lewis reminds guardians caring for children that they may be eligible for thousands of dollars in grants to help with housing, food and transportation, as well as summer camp and other enrichment activities.  

The Saybrook District Probate Court serves the town of Lyme along with the eight additional towns of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Old Saybrook and Westbrook.

A guardianship case typically comes before the Saybrook District Probate Court when parents are unable to care for their children due to addiction, mental illness, incarceration or other circumstances. In most cases, Probate Courts appoint a grandparent or other relative to care for the children. In some cases, courts will appoint a close family friend who has a long-standing relationship with the child, as children tend to experience the most benefits when they are placed with adults they already know and trust. 

Appointing kinship guardians also saves Connecticut an estimated $72 million a year by keeping thousands of children out of foster care. However, unlike foster parents, Probate Court-appointed guardians receive no financial support for taking on this incredibly important – and often unexpected – responsibility. 

For more than a decade, local Probate Courts have annually awarded $2 million in grants from the state Kinship Fund and Respite Fund to guardians of children who meet low-income guidelines. 

The Kinship Fund awards grants of up to $550 a child — or up to $2,200 a family – a year to help pay for necessities such as eyeglasses and clothing, or for enrichment activities such as summer camp, art supplies or creative books. 

The second available fund, the Respite Fund, helps guardians with the cost of child care, rent, transportation and food. Respite Fund grants are capped at $2,200 a year.

“Many families are struggling,” said Judge Lewis, “with an increasing number of news stories talking about how some families are choosing between rent and food. These two grants can help guardians in meeting essential needs, as well as helping to ensure that extras like summer camp aren’t impossible. We’re so pleased this money exists to help guardians and the children in their care.”

Guardians can apply for both funds, though a separate application for each is required. Amounts awarded to local residents are determined by the Saybrook District Probate Court.  

Applications can be found at ctprobate.gov under the Children’s Matters tab, or by contacting the Saybrook District Probate Court at (860) 510-5028.