Sarasota, Fla – Meals on Wheels of Sarasota has been selected to participate in the FIMC Accelerator Program, an initiative co-led by Community Servings, Food Is Medicine Coalition, God’s Love We Deliver, the Nonprofit Finance Fund, and the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School. The Accelerator works to refine, replicate, and scale the medically tailored meal (MTM) intervention to ensure that people managing severe, complex and chronic illnesses have access to MTM, regardless of where they reside or their ability to pay. 

Since the beginning of the senior nutrition movement in the United States more than 50 years ago, Meals on Wheels programs have sought to holistically meet the needs of older adults in their communities. The core mission of Meals on Wheels of Sarasota originates all the way back to 1971, when a group of women were passionate enough about ensuring their community has access to nutritious meals. However, times are very different from 1971, where chronic conditions are on the rise in the United States. The National Council on Aging says the older population has an increased risk of chronic diseases such as dementia, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and cancer (August 16, 2024). Managing these health conditions requires multifaceted solutions, where simply having access to food is not enough.

Medically Tailored Meals are fully prepared meals that satisfy therapeutic, evidence-based dietary specifications and are assigned to an individual based on an assessment of their nutritional needs by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). These meals often have low amounts of sodium, sugar, or saturated fats, are modified in texture for safe swallowing, or are restricted in specific nutrients such as potassium. The FIMC Accelerator recently selected a new cohort of six nonprofits nationwide to undergo an intensive curriculum-based six-month training program. Agencies will be equipped to prepare and deliver a high-quality MTM intervention to their communities at the end of the program.

Executive Director, Rhonda Leiberick, says “We are thrilled to join the food is medicine movement. Providing medically tailored meals directly aligns with our strategic goal to expand capacity to address unmet needs in Sarasota County. By providing medically tailored nutrition we are building a healthier community.”

Upon program completion, Meals on Wheels of Sarasota will launch a pilot program to address medical conditions related to heart disease, diabetes, and dialysis. Anyone interested in learning more about Medically Tailored Meals or participating in the pilot program is encouraged to call 941-220-6036 or visit: https://mealsonwheelsofsarasota.org/food-is-medicine/

Photo: The meal for February 2, 2026. This consists of barbeque chicken legs, macaroni & cheese, and mixed vegetables

About Meals on Wheels of Sarasota

Meals on Wheels of Sarasota provides nutritious meals, social interaction, and wellness checks for the homebound and elderly in our community. Our goal is to improve the quality of life and empower seniors to live independently in their home. Since 1971, Meals on Wheels of Sarasota has delivered more than 7 million meals to homebound or elderly residents. Volunteers are essential to prepare, pack, and deliver 500 meals each day. Our service area spans from University Parkway in the north to Laurel Road in the south, and from the county border in the east, to Longboat, Lido, and Siesta Keys. To donate or learn more, https://mealsonwheelsofsarasota.org

About Food Is Medicine Coalition

The Food is Medicine Coalition (FIMC) is a national coalition of nonprofit organizations that provide medically tailored meals (MTMs) and groceries (MTGs), medical nutrition therapy and nutrition counseling and education to people in communities across the country living with severe and chronic illnesses. We advance access to these life-saving interventions through service, policy change, research and evaluation, and best practices. FIMC agencies created the medically tailored meal model and maintain the nutrition standards for the intervention. FIMC offers a community of learning for existing practitioners and equips new organizations to launch medically tailored meal programs. https://fimcoalition.org