bsp;Inside Retail, a number of large retailers have committed to offering financial support for affected communities. Kmart is supporting its charity partner The Salvation Army, donating $50,000 in Kmart gift cards and $25,000 of products to help support cyclone-affected communities.  As of 9 March, grocery chains Countdown and Foodstuffs had contributed a combined $1 million in financial aid to help suppliers impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle. Other retailers – including Coca-Cola, Burger Fuel and Electric Kiwi – have matched or exceeded a $10,000 donation by media organisation Stuff.com.au, while home and design store Frances Nation, and woollen accessories brand Honest Wolf have set up respective fundraising drives to support affected communities. Online marketplace Grabone NZ has also launched its Businesses in Need  campaign, which enables shoppers to support providers in affected areas by way of a voucher or donation. Through this initiative, customers can donate directly, or redeem or gift a service at a later date. Grabone is also providing businesses in affected communities with a free listing on the website and an advertising package. It has also set up a Grabone offer where customers can purchase vouchers at $25 increments, which can be used anytime in 2023. Grabone’s NZ country manager, Belinda Lush is from Piha on New Zealand’s North Island, and has witnessed first-hand the challenges facing businesses in the community. She told Inside Retail that this initiative is a way for all New Zealanders to support the regions impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle. Lush said that the organisation had a similar initiative in place during Covid-19, which supported the hospitality industry in particular, and generated strong support. “Grabone’s parent company Global Marketplace ran a similar initiative for Australian communities affected by Covid-19 and the bushfires before that, so New Zealand’s GrabOne had the technical blueprint to quickly create a similar initiative for small businesses devastated by natural disasters,” she said. “We haven’t projected the amount of funding [that Businesses in Need will raise] but we’re using our extensive network to provide the platform to connect people who want to help, with businesses who need help.” Not in obvious places While the Businesses in Need initiative is in its early stages – having launched on 14 March – Lush believes that people are wanting to offer support for businesses that are recovering from the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle. “Kiwis are absolutely wanting to support their neighbours through these hard times, and we don’t want to forget these affected communities are still struggling even when the Cyclone Gabrielle news has quietened down,” she said. “We’re seeing a great deal of support come from North Island towns and cities that are near the worst affected areas.” Lush explained that there are no demographic or geographic restrictions with regard to the businesses that can sign up. Rather, it is open to any organisation that claims to have been impacted. With supply chain disruptions likely to impact businesses across the country, she said that those affected might not be in obvious places, or in locations receiving lots of attention. With crowdfunding campaigns such as Givealittle already active and able to be integrated into listings, she said there were no immediate plans to extend the financial support beyond the free listings and advertising, and redeemable vouchers and donations. “At this stage, this is the crux of the initiative,” she said. Technical roadmap With cost of living pressures intensifying, Lush noted that people are looking to make the most of their dollar. And having launched amid New Zealand’s last recession, Grabone has a good understanding of the Kiwi bargain-hunting mindset. “Deal sites are many people’s not-so-secret weapons for organising yourself and saving your business money on purchases too. Grabone is the Kiwi go-to for finding cost-effective ways to entertain the kids or treat someone who’s got a special birthday coming up,” she said. “For others, shopping for deals is a sport, and finding a last-minute hotel room with a list of appealing extras is simply irresistible.” Celebrating its 13th birthday later this year, Lush explained that Grabone has a technical roadmap in place which will make it easier for its customers to secure deals, and for businesses to optimise their yield. She also said that it is committed to supporting New Zealand business owners and helping consumers get a good deal. “We have a platform that already talks to tens of thousands of Kiwis every day and we saw an opportunity to be able to help,” Lush said. “We encourage all Kiwi businesses affected by the cyclone and floods to reach out for additional support through Businesses in Need.”