Consalo Family Farms Donate Nutritious Mandarins - Smoochies
Donations Were Distributed to Over 8,000 Students at Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina Title I School Partners
CHARLOTTE, NC – November 5, 2025 – Consalo Family Farms, in partnership with Harris Teeter donated over bags of fresh mandarins to area Title I schools – and reached the hands of over 8,100 children, who are community partners with Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.
Consalo Family Farms, a vertically integrated grower, packer, shipper, importer and distributor of both conventional and organic commodities collaborate with Harris Teeter and Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina on the Mandarins Making a Difference campaign. Since starting this campaign in 2024, Consalo has donated approximately over 200,000 pounds of mandarins, in collaboration with the supermarket chain, to the food bank.
Schools that received mandarins include: Mount Holly Elementary (SC), Lesslie Elementary (SC), Olde Pointe Elementary (SC), Ebinport Elementary (SC), India Hook Elementary (SC), Druid Hills Elementary (NC), Clinton Elementary (SC), Brooklyn Springs Elementary (SC), Independence High School (NC), West Charlotte High School (NC), Marshville Elementary (NC), Rocky River Elementary (NC), JH Gunn Elementary (NC), Devonshire Elementary (NC), Hidden Valley Elementary (NC), Hearts United for Good (NC). The following were distributed at Second Harvest Food Bank School Mobile Pantries: Lilesville Elementary (NC), Sterling Elementary (NC), Merry Oaks Elementary (NC) Tuckaseegee Elementary (NC), and Newell Elementary (NC).
It’s through partnerships like this that food banks can continue to get food into the hands of children, seniors, families, and veterans who are dealing with food insecurity each day. Across the country, food banks are facing unprecedented strain, with many reporting record demand and reduced resources. The area served by Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina has a food insecurity rate of 13.8%, with over 569,000 people being considered food insecure.
“One of the most important aspects of a food bank’s work is ensuring that those we serve are receiving the most nutritious foods possible,” said Kay Carter, CEO at Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. “Thanks to partners like Consalo Family Farms, the over 500,000 people living at or below the poverty level in our region are able to receive healthy produce, and we can’t thank them enough.”
###
About Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
As part of Feeding America, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina - serves 24 counties in North and South Carolina. In FY 2024-2025, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina distributed almost 89 million pounds of food and household items, which included over 54 million pounds in fresh produce, meat, and dairy, to over 950 hunger feeding agencies including emergency pantries, soup kitchens, senior programs, shelters and low- income daycares.