Back in January, when Australia was suffering through one of its worst bushfire crises, Turia Pitt and Grace McBride created the Spend With Them Instagram account as a means of showcasing the Australian brands and small businesses most affected by the disaster.
Within 24 hours of establishing the page, the account had a following of around 50k, and now, some three months later, she and the account’s 200k supporters have helped countless businesses get back on their feet.
While communities affected by the bushfires are still being featured on the account regularly, as they will take time to be returned to their former glories with the help of generous Aussies, Pitt has now pivoted the core focus of the account to feature COVID-19-affected small businesses, too.
“While we’ll keep promoting products from bushfire-affected towns, (because they are being hit by the second crisis in as many months) we’ll also expand our reach to include small businesses impacted by COVID-19 too.”
“We started Spend With Them as a response to the fires that devastated communities and small businesses across Australia. It was a way to directly connect customers across Australia and the world with businesses who needed their support,” Pitt and McBride wrote in a post on Wednesday.
“While we got to work, and as this community grew, and grew, and grew, we did have a thought that perhaps we’d be in a position to help other businesses in other times of crisis. We never thought the next disaster would hit so soon, or be as wide-sweeping in its devastation as COVID-19.”
From now, the account will feature businesses and brands that stock Australian-made products in high demand, as well as independently run businesses and other delicious treats that will surely help us all get through the next few months and still support suffering businesses, like oysters!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Jwd2ChUtn/
“We’ll focus on the products [these businesses] have, that you can buy from your couch. So, stay home. And when you need to buy something (soap, honey, coffee, wine!), check our page to see if you can #spendwiththem first.”
Pitt and McBride are now calling out to small businesses that have been impacted to make themselves known. If this is you, head to the SpendWithThem Instagram account, then hit the link in bio and to access the feature request form. Fill in your details, and submit your application for review.
The current health crisis is evolving rapidly. If you suspect you or a family member has coronavirus you should call (not visit) your GP or ring the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.