SPOKANE, Wash. — For Peggy, the road to recovery from losing her home of 25 years began with a $10,000 check.
When fires swept through the Spokane area last month, Peggy’s house burned to the ground. The reality of rebuilding hit hard when she started researching cleanup costs for her property. That’s when she learned about the Karen Worthy Wildfire Grant, a relief fund established by local philanthropist Walt Worthy to help fire victims get back on their feet.
Peggy applied three weeks ago and picked up her grant check today.
“We are forever grateful to Walt Worthy and Karen Worthy. Bless her heart and her soul, God rest her,” Peggy said.
The grant program has already made a significant impact. Since Worthy announced the direct, unrestricted grants last month, the fund has helped over 300 families with $2.5 million in total relief. The Innovia Foundation is managing the distribution of the money and processing applications.
The response was immediate. Within the first eight hours after the announcement, 400 families applied for assistance.
“It was very easy to do the application through their system. It went quick, it wasn’t hard and they acknowledged the acceptance of it, that they received it quite quickly,” Peggy said.
For Peggy, the $10,000 grant represents a crucial first step in the cleanup process.
Shelly O’Quinn, CEO of Innovia Foundation, said the speed of distribution is critical for families facing urgent needs. The foundation has been able to work quickly because of support from partners like Greenstone Corporation and Spokane’s Long Term Recovery Group.
“Walt is so grateful for all of the partners who’ve stepped up to make the impossible possible and get money out the door right now to families who need it right now,” O’Quinn said.
The Innovia Foundation has processed applications carefully, identifying about 20 fraudulent claims but finding that the vast majority of applications are legitimate. Despite the strong response, organizers have identified a significant gap: 20% of people whose homes burned down have not yet applied for the grant.
O’Quinn said the foundation is working through applications as quickly as possible and will reach out to applicants with updates.
“With the over 700 applications that we’ve received, it’s just a process and we are getting through them as fast as we possibly can and so they will hear from us if they have not yet,” O’Quinn said.
Worthy and Innovia are urging those affected families to submit applications before the deadline. The application process is designed to be straightforward, allowing families to access funds quickly without navigating complex bureaucratic requirements.
For fire victims still in the early stages of recovery, the grant provides unrestricted funds that can be allocated toward whatever needs are most pressing—whether that’s debris removal, temporary housing, or other immediate expenses.
Governor Bob Ferguson tweeted about how much money had been given in state Individual Assistance
“We’ve disbursed $959,250 in state Individual Assistance to 633 households affected by wildfires in Central and Eastern Washington. Those funds can help with immediate needs like a place to stay, food, and small repairs. See if you qualify: https://mil.wa.gov/wildfire-assistance“
The application deadline is October 18. Families interested in applying or seeking more information about the process can visit the Karen Worthy Wildfire Relief Grant website.
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