In this paper we prove some combinatorial identities which can be considered as generalizations and variations of remarkable Chu-Vandermonde identity. These identities are proved by using an elementary combinatorial-probabilistic approach to the expressions for the $k$-th moments ($k=1,2,3$) of some particular cases of recently investigated discrete random variables. Using one of these Chu-Vandermonde-type identities, two combinatorial congruences are established.