Senior Friendship Centers recently expanded its Sarasota County Nutrition Program with two new offerings to make nutritious food easier for older adults to access: free continental breakfast served Monday through Friday, and fresh produce distributed twice a month.
Both are now available at the Sarasota center. The Venice center currently offers the fresh produce program and is expected to add breakfast this fall.
The additions build on Senior Friendship Centers’ existing Friendship Dining program. At the Sarasota center, an eligible older adult can now start the day with breakfast, participate in activities, enjoy lunch with others and, on produce distribution days, bring home 8 to 10 pounds of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
The expansion comes
as food costs continue to put pressure on household budgets. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show food-at-home prices increased 2.2%, including a 3.2% increase for fruits and vegetables from August 2025 to August 2026. In Sarasota County, 55% of households headed by someone age 65 or older were below the ALICE Threshold in 2023, meaning their income was below what was needed to cover basic household necessities.
“For many older adults living on fixed incomes or with limited mobility, the challenge is not knowing that healthy food is important; it is being able to afford it, carry it home, or shop for it at all,” said Erin McLeod, president and CEO of Senior Friendship Centers. “By bringing nutritious food, activities, and connection together in one place, we are helping remove barriers and supporting older adults as they remain healthy, independent, and connected to their communities.”
Senior Friendship Centers has also seen increased participation in its nutrition services. The organization has already served 178 Home-Delivered Meals clients in 2026 year to date, compared with 164 during all of 2025. Friendship Dining has served 581 clients year to date, surpassing the 566 served during all of 2025.
For Sarasota participant Mary A., those services have become part of her routine. She visits the center five days a week, where she has breakfast and lunch, receives fresh produce, and spends time with others. “This is for me, my home away from home,” Mary said.
For older adults who cannot easily come to a center, Senior Friendship Centers also provides Home-Delivered Meals to eligible clients. Fresh produce may also be delivered to enrolled Home-Delivered Meals clients, helping address transportation and mobility barriers.
How to Participate
Sarasota County residents 60 and older can call 941-584-0048 to enroll in Friendship Dining and learn about breakfast, lunch, and fresh produce.
New Home-Delivered Meals applicants must be age 60 or older, live in the county where they will receive service, and complete an annual eligibility assessment through the Elder Helpline at 866-413-5337.
Senior Friendship Centers also offers nutrition and aging services in Charlotte, DeSoto, and Lee counties.
Senior Friendship Centers builds vibrant communities by advancing wellness, connection and enrichment throughout the journey of aging. Since 1973, the organization has served people 50 and older in Sarasota, Charlotte, DeSoto and Lee counties through activity centers, lifelong learning, Friendship Dining and Home-Delivered Meals, caregiver support, adult day services, supportive aging services and volunteer opportunities. For information about programs available in your area, call 941-955-2122 or visit friendshipcenters.org.
Submitted by Jodel Velarde
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota County seniors receive expanded access to free food programs
