One805 Launches $10 Million Endowment to Ensure Lifelong Mental Health and Emergency Support For Santa Barbara County First Responders

Retiring County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig to Join Mental Wellness Endowment Board; Endowment already seeded with $2M in initial commitments

One805 announced the launch of a landmark $10 million The One805 Mental Wellness Endowment Fund designed to ensure that Santa Barbara County’s first responders have permanent, predictable access to critical mental wellness support — now and for generations to come. 

The launch became official during an Evening of Appreciation at the home of Bruce Heavin on Wednesday, December 3, where local sheriffs, fire chiefs, One805 supporters, and the Board of Directors were in attendance. At the event One805 received an honorary bell from the Fire Chief’s Association of Santa Barbara County for continued support of mental wellness programs for area firefighters and their families.

The One805 Mental Wellness Endowment Fund reflects One805’s commitment to long-term mental wellness at a time when first responders face unprecedented stress from natural disasters, increased emergency response demands, and the cumulative mental wellness impacts of frontline service.

The new endowment has already secured $2 million in initial commitments, including: $1 million contributed directly from One805’s reserves, and $1 million from an anonymous donor supporting the effort’s launch. These early commitments underscore both strong community confidence and the urgency of creating a sustainable financial foundation for first responder wellness.

“Since the 2018 Montecito debris flow, One805 has been dedicated to stepping in quickly when our first responders need us most,” said Kirsten Cavendish Weston-Smith, Co-Founder & CEO of One805. “Today, we take the next step — ensuring that their mental health care and trauma support are protected in perpetuity. This endowment is about true resilience: giving those who protect us the strength, stability, and care they deserve.”

Chief Mark Hartwig Joins The One805 Mental Wellness Endowment Board

One805 also announced that retiring County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig will join the One805 Mental Wellness Endowment Board, providing continuity and trusted leadership in shaping the next generation of support for firefighters, law enforcement officers, dispatchers, and all First Responder professionals.

Chief Hartwig has been widely recognized for his transformational leadership in destigmatizing mental health care within the County Fire Department. The Santa Barbara County operational area has developed a model peer-to-peer support program now praised at the national level.

“ I can’t imagine a greater honor and responsibility than to serve our community’s First Responders,” said Chief Mark Hartwig. The mental and emotional wellbeing of our frontline professionals must remain a top priority within our communities, joining this board allows me to help ensure that When the mental health needs of our First Responders are met,  — the entire community is safer.”

The One805 Mental Wellness Endowment Fund is meeting the new emergency reality where Santa Barbara County’s first responders now face:

• more frequent wildfires
• prolonged fire seasons
• violent criminal activity 
• flooding and mudslides 
• rising calls for medical and behavioral emergencies
• cumulative trauma and burnout

An endowment model ensures that mental health clinicians, trauma specialists, and wellness programs remain available without delay, bureaucracy, or crisis-dependent fundraising.

“Our teams continue to respond to increasingly complex and dangerous emergencies. The emotional toll is real — having consistent, high-quality mental health support can save careers and lives,” added Santa Barbara County Sheriff, Bill Brown. “This endowment is an essential step in building sustainable, long-term resilience.”

The creation of a permanent endowment reinforces One805’s longstanding commitment to transparent, high-impact giving. By establishing a dedicated fund with clear oversight — including county leadership, mental wellness experts, and community trustees — One805 is ensuring that resources are available exactly when and where they are needed most.

“One805 exists because our community understands that supporting those who protect us is not just an annual act — it’s a long-term responsibility,” said Weston-Smith. “This endowment allows us to meet that responsibility with stability, accountability, and heart.”