One805 Announces $1 Million in Grants for First Responders in Santa Barbara

MONTECITO, Calif. – The nonprofit One805 has announced $1 million in grants for local first responders.

The organization made the announcement Wednesday night during an honorary board reception at the Montecito Club.

The grants mark the largest allocation to date.

One805 co-founder, chairman, and CEO Kirsten Cavendish Weston Smith said the funding, provided by donors, will support equipment and mental wellness initiatives for first responders.

“These grants go to every single chief, and the chiefs are here to get to know our donors. We have every chief from every area,” Cavendish Weston Smith said.

The organization is also preparing for the Rock for First Responders! concert, set for Saturday, March 8, at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara.

Additionally, donors will soon be invited to go behind the scenes with a dozen local chiefs along the coast.

One805 was founded in 2018 in response to the 2017 Thomas Fire and the Montecito debris flow, which devastated Santa Barbara County.

In addition to the March concert, One805 will again host its flagship event, One805 Live!, on Sept. 20.

The One805 Live! concert series began as a fundraising effort in the years following the disaster. One of the earliest major events took place in September 2022, featuring performances by Maroon 5's Adam Levine, Coldplay's Chris Martin, and Kenny Loggins at Costner’s estate. The event set the tone for future One805 Live! concerts, which continue to raise significant funds to support emergency response efforts in the region.

For more information visit https://www.one805.org