SPOKANE, Wash. — In the days following the Spokane Firestorm that took hundreds of homes, the community sprung into action, including one local coffee shop.
White Dog Coffee raised $20,000 for ten families who lost their homes in the Spokane fires. The Roets family was one of them. The family of eight lived in the Rifle Club neighborhood and say they were nominated anonymously.
“It was really special. We felt very loved and seen,” said Molly Roets.
While hundreds of families were processing the loss of their homes, White Dog Coffee was collecting money from purchases, tip buckets and online donations to give back.
The business put out an online nomination form, which is how someone entered the Roets family. To this day, Molly says she still doesn’t know who did it.
“They reached out to my husband and just said ‘Would you be willing to come by and receive this gift that our community raised for you guys?'” Molly said.
Along with this donation, the Roets family received others from their local church and help from organizations at the Disaster Assistance Center. They have also applied for state assistance, and a wildfire relief fund from local businessman Walt Worthy that will give $10,000 to fire victims.
In her daily life, Molly says friends have shown up with dinners and gifts.
“That’s incredibly important when you’re going through a tragedy… is to have people in your life,” she said. “That helps to build the resilience.”
Right now, the Roets are staying in a long-term rental on the South Hill, but they have plans to rebuild their home in the Rifle Club neighborhood.
“We’re not running away from it. We’re going to come back and bring that restoration here to our neighborhood,” Molly said. “It will be beautiful again.”
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