Sarasota, Fla – May 21, 2025 – Meals on Wheels of Sarasota is thrilled to announce the largest donation in their organization’s history which was made possible by Sarasota resident, Saul Lapidus. This gift of $1.1 million is intended to expand the client base to address the unmet needs in Sarasota. With this funding, the organization can continue to grow and evolve as the population grows.

Saul Lapidus was born on September 14, 1932. He was a US Army veteran, a worldwide traveler, a skilled tennis player, and a proud member of the Landings community. He wrote the “Interesting Triva” and attended the “Greek Odyssey” trip which can both be found in The Eagle newspaper. Saul passed away on October 26, 2023, and decided to make a lasting impact through Meals on Wheels of Sarasota. He now peacefully resides at the Sarasota National Cemetery.

Former Meals on Wheels board member, Ralph Hall, was friends with Saul, and the two of them played tennis for over five years at the Landings Racquet Club. He gives us some more insight into this major gift: “One day Saul and I were chatting as we normally do while playing doubles. He asked me about Meals on Wheels. I shared with him that I am on the board and that the volunteers delivering the meal may be the only person the client sees that day. From that moment on, I could tell Saul was curious about the organization and wanted to be able to give back to the community he called home.

Executive Director of Meals on Wheels of Sarasota, Rhonda Leiberick, shares how significant a gift like this is to the organization. “At a time when 1 in 8 seniors is in danger of going hungry, and over half feel lonely, I can’t think of a clearer affirmation about the importance of our Home Delivered Meal program. A knock at the door might not seem like a big deal to many of us. But, to a homebound senior, it could signal the arrival of the only person our clients see that day. The power of a knock brings hope. It brings nutrition and care. This gift validates the work we are doing to enable seniors to remain healthy and independent at home. We could not be more grateful to this benefactor.”