08/07/2026
100 Bears Go to Spokane Fire Relief
The Bears ‘n Stuff Board Members inside Washington State Penitentiary called for bears in the Libby Den to head to Spokane to bring emotional support to kids involved in the massive fires there. Bears were activated and loaded into transport. Smoke filled the air as they arrived at Partners in NW headquarters and relief operations center around noon on 6 August.
Sarah, the Development Director of Partners, was surprised how fast Bears reacted, thinking she would not see them for a week or so. The inside board members did not want kids waiting. The Bears ‘n Stuff organization doesn’t mess around when there’s a need it has assets it can address.
Relief operations, according to Sarah, will go on for weeks. As the Bears loaded into carts to be taken for processing for distribution, volunteers handed out clothing, food, and bedding to those displaced by the burn. Over 60,000 people were evacuated and between 800 and 1000 homes destroyed.
Normally, the Bears that would be used for this would have already been ‘Denned’; someone would have donated and then returned them to Bears ‘n Stuff for a use such as this. This has been a slow season for Bears ‘n Stuff due to limited market access. Only two bears had been previously denned; 98 went without that support. The funds raised by ‘denning’ directly fund needs in the Libby Troy area. Disasters don’t wait on funding; they happen ready or not. Bears normally asks $20 per bear, but all helps. If you want to help, you can drop off your donation to cover one or more bear at the Lincoln County Credit Union. Just say this is for Bears ‘n Stuff Spokane Relief. They’ll get it into the right place.
You can follow the Prison Bears on Facebook at Bears n Stuff. You can donate through Venmo right there as well. You can email Bears at: [email protected] or call/text 406 293 9630.
