The recent Voice “Santa Barbara and the Cost of Being Rich Together” expresses a deep frustration shared by many about the growing inequality in Santa Barbara. But the writer, Dean Stewart, refers to One805LIVE! — a “Summerland fête for local charity” — as a case in point. In so doing it badly misses the mark and diminishes an organization that exists precisely to help bridge that divide.
As many know, One805 was founded in the wake of the 2018 Montecito mudslides, when our First Responders — firefighters, law enforcement. and emergency medical teams — risked their lives in a massive coordinated effort to save others. But One805 is most certainly not only about Montecito. Since then, it has grown into a countywide lifeline for those men and women, ensuring they have both the equipment and mental health support they need to serve us all. Our mission is simple: to support every first responder in Santa Barbara County, from Carpinteria to Cuyama, Solvang to Santa Maria. These first responders protect everyone — rich or poor, homeowner or renter, local or visitor. When you dial 9-1-1, the person who shows up doesn’t care about your zip code.
The article laments that essential workers can no longer afford to live in Santa Barbara — a sad truth we also recognize. But One805 can’t fix that. We neither write housing policy nor control real estate values. What we can do — and what we do every single day — is ensure that when anyone in our community needs help, the first responder who arrives is one of the best equipped and best supported in the country.
To date, One805 has funded a long list of equipment, from “Jaws of Life” used across the county to defibrillators in police patrol cars, ocean and backcountry rescue equipment, and much, much more. But most importantly, we fund an expanding First Responder Mental Wellness Program, offering confidential counseling and trauma recovery for those who repeatedly face unimaginable horrors. In fact, we have just announced the launch of an endowment fund that aims to provide this vital resource to every one of our First Responders, and their families, in perpetuity.
Far from being elitist, One805LIVE! is one of the few local events that truly unites all corners of our community. We give away hundreds of tickets to First Responders and their families. Our general admission tickets cost no more than a Santa Barbara Bowl show might charge, and food and drink prices are deliberately lower.
In nearly every well-balanced community around the world, the wealthier members play a vital role in supporting and funding initiatives that benefit everyone — from libraries and parks to hospitals and youth programs. Is that destructive elitism, or simply people who have the means lifting up those who do not? Yes, we do invite our wealthiest neighbors to contribute at higher levels — because not doing so would be a dereliction of our mission. If we failed to engage those with the capacity to give substantially, we would be failing the very people who diligently attend us in our own hour of need.
The truth is simple: One805LIVE! isn’t “a party for the rich.” It’s a platform through which Santa Barbara’s privilege is converted into lifesaving resources for every single one of us. If that’s elitism, it’s of the most inclusive and noble kind.
Richard Weston-Smith is COO and co-founder of One805.
