A total of $2,384.97 was raised last month from the Woodchuck Festival of Music and Art, and now three charities will soon be receiving the money.

Scott Chaplinski, one of the Woodchuck organizers, said they wanted to keep the charities local this year.

“In times like this, funding (is) getting cut,” Chaplinski said.

Chaplinski said it was important for them to only donate locally this year, because last year, they never actually knew what happened to the money they donated worldwide.

Chaplinski said they decided to donate $1,634.97 to Hope of East Central Illinois, a charity for women and children who are victims of domestic violence.

In addition to Hope, the Masonic Temple will receive $500, and the food pantry will receive $250.

“Hope was always the one that we wanted to do this for,” he said. “There was a girl who was working with Woodchuck last year and she was involved with Hope and really wanted us to help them out.”

Ever since, Woodchuck has been donating to Hope because the organizers feel they need the most help.

“It doesn’t really surprise me at all that they raised this money,” said Angie Hunt, housing program director of Hope. “We’re grateful for all the money we get.”

Hunt said the money will be used to pay for services that Hope offers, such as legal advocacy, counseling, children’s programming, education, and their women’s shelter.

While it is more common for Hope to receive toiletry donations like household items, Hunt said, Woodchuck’s donation will go a long way.

“It’s needed, desperately needed,” she said. “(There are) so many funding cuts with the state of the budget right now, this kind of donation-I can’t tell you what it means to us.”

Last year, Woodchuck donated to St. Vincent DePaul, a charity that helps families struggling to make payments, Youth With a Vision, that helps children in South Africa and Hope.

Sam Sottosanto can be reached at 581-7942

or dennewsdesk@gmail.com.