HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) – The Hershey Bears have donated their $10,000 prize winnings from the Calder Cup Community Challenge to three local charities.

The funds were donated from the runner-ups in the Calder Cup, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, to be used in the community as the Bears saw fit. The pact that the losing team would donate to the winning team to help the Calder Cup Champions community was announced on June 14.

With the Bears getting their 12th Calder Cup on June 21, they won the challenge.

On Tuesday, the Bears announced that the three organizations benefiting from the prize money would be Cocoa Packs, Hershey Heroes Special Hockey, and Hershey Food Bank and Community Outreach.

“This is wonderful and unexpected news,” said Odette of Hershey Food Bank and Community Outreach. “We are grateful to the Hershey Bears for thinking of us and sharing the challenge dollars with Hershey Food Bank.”

The Hershey Food Bank and Community Outreach distributes food two times a month and gives traditional food for special holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas to families in need. Presents and gift certificates for kids’ clothing are included with the Christmas food.

The organization is completely volunteer-run.

Cocoa Parks provides meals to children a part of the Derry Township School District and surrounding areas who rely on school-based, subsidized food when there is no school. They provide healthy and nutritious breakfasts, lunch, dinner, and snacks to the children on the 185 days they are not in school for weekends, holidays, and the summer.

They also have a clothing closet that provides weather-appropriate clothing, such as coats when it’s cold, to children in need.

Hershey Heroes Special Hockey provides access to the game of hockey for those with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities, giving everyone a chance to play the game.

Special hockey is played with standard hockey equipment that is adapted and modified to meet the athlete’s needs. It is a non-contact, non-competitive sport that focuses on sportsmanship, teamwork, building relationships, and meeting personal goals on and off the ice.

The $10,000 will be split between the three charities.