Direct, unrestricted grants of $10,000 will go to households who lost their homes in the Spokane Complex Fires
Spokane, Wash. – In the wake of the devastating August 2026 Spokane Complex Fires, longtime Spokane developer and community leader Walt Worthy has established the Karen Worthy Memorial Community Fund at Innovia Foundation, in loving memory of his late wife, Karen Worthy.
The fund will provide support to the Spokane Region Long Term Recovery Group (SRLTRG) to launch the Karen Worthy Memorial Wildfire Grant program — a one-time, $10,000 grant available to eligible households whose primary residence was destroyed or rendered a total loss by the Old Trails, Autumn Lane, or Fairview Fires, collectively known as the Spokane Complex Fires.
The grants are designed to move quickly and without strings attached. Funds are intended to help affected households cover urgent, immediate needs — temporary housing, replacement of everyday essentials, and other recovery costs — while insurance claims, FEMA assistance, and other aid are still being processed. Grants are intended to address the loss of a primary residence, whether owner or renter occupied. Additional eligibility details and the application are available at www.karenworthywildfiregrant.com.
Grant verification and distribution will be managed by the SRLTRG, a Spokane-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed after the August 2023 Gray Road and Oregon Road wildfires in Spokane County. The SRLTRG was created to coordinate recovery services and resources for individuals, families, businesses, and communities affected by disaster, with a focus on meeting urgent short-term needs and providing Disaster Case Management to support long-term recovery.
The fund was announced Thursday at Balboa Elementary School, where Karen Worthy taught first grade for more than 20 years — a fitting tribute to a woman whose legacy in Spokane reached far beyond her professional accomplishments.
A Legacy of Investing in Community
Walt and Karen Worthy have been prominent business and community leaders in the Spokane region for decades. Through their investments in hospitality and development — including the celebrated restoration of the historic Davenport Hotel — the Worthys helped preserve treasured pieces of Spokane’s history while fueling the continued growth and revitalization of downtown Spokane.
Karen’s impact reached well beyond development. She lent her leadership and experience to organizations and initiatives across the region working to make Spokane a stronger place to live, work, and visit. For more than 20 years, she taught first grade at Balboa Elementary School. Before Indian Trail Elementary School was built, many of her students lived in the Indian Trail area — a community now among those devastated by the wildfires.
“Spokane gave us so much — more, I think, than we can ever give back,” said Walt Worthy. “We built close friendships and business relationships here, and so many people helped us make these projects happen — people we’re still close with today. Karen was a big part of all of it. I’m proud and pleased that we have the opportunity to step up and do this. If she were here to see this, I know she’d be proud and pleased, too.”
Three Organizations, One Shared Mission
Three Spokane-area organizations are working together to ensure relief funds reach affected households quickly and effectively:
- Innovia Foundation is partnering with the donor and community partners to develop and scale the relief effort — hosting and administering the fund, ensuring charitable and fiscal compliance, and providing loaned staff and financial support to expand the SRLTRG’s capacity.
- Spokane Region Long Term Recovery Group will manage the application process and oversee the distribution of grant awards to eligible households.
- Greenstone Corporation coordinated the participating partners and developed the grant website and other online resources supporting the program.
Together, these organizations are working to ensure that families who lost their homes receive help without delay — and that Karen Worthy’s legacy of community investment continues to shape the region she loved.
For more information or to apply, visit www.karenworthywildfiregrant.com
About Innovia Foundation
As the community foundation for Eastern Washington and North Idaho, we partner with people who want to improve their communities and make the world better. We work together to identify and respond to our region’s greatest opportunities, help those in need, and leave a lasting impact. Our mission is to ignite generosity that transforms lives and communities. We envision vibrant and sustainable communities where every person has the opportunity to thrive. Each year, Innovia Foundation invests $10 million into our communities through grants and scholarships.
Additional Contacts and Resource Information
- Spokane Region Long Term Recovery Group
srltrg.org
- Karen Worthy Wildfire Grant
www.karenworthywildfiregrant.com
- Catholic Charities
www.cceasternwa.org/fire-assistance
- Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest
discovergoodwill.org/i-need-help
- Spokane Community Resources Page
www.spokanecommunityresources.org
