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THE 83 Bendigo businesses involved in a public campaign supporting same-sex marriage have raised $3200 for a program supporting young lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning people in Bendigo.
The businesses plan to donate the money to Headspace Bendigo’s LGBTIQ program which provides an environment for young people to discuss mental and sexual health.
The donation came on top of the funding for an advertisement campaign supporting same-sex marriage which appeared in the Bendigo Advertiser earlier this month.
Lyttleton Terrace business owner Jayson Tayeh said the businesses wanted to support vulnerable young people.
“From the businesses’ point of view, we realised it was young Australians who needed help the most,” he said.
“The program works with a lot of young people who are dealing with mental health and sexual health questions.
“A donation of $3200 will hopefully be quite significant for the program.”
Twenty-one small businesses initially placed a full-page advertisement in the Bendigo Advertiser, and chose to take out a double-page spread including 83 businesses two weeks later after receiving strong support.
The group received the backing of the Australian Marriage Equiality Organisation, which would use Bendigo as an example for businesses in other regional centres.
A business group from Noosa has since contacted Mr Tayeh asking about the campaign.
He said while it was not originally intended to spread beyond Bendigo, it was a welcome contact.
“A business group in Noosa just wanted to ask some questions about how it went and what the response has been like,” Mr Tayeh said.
“They want to use Bendigo’s campaign as a platform to undertake their own similar campaign.”
The original 21 businesses each received a letter from an anonymous person questioning their stance, but have not received any more direct negative feedback.
Mr Tayeh said the business owners were receiving messages of support weeks after the campaign kicked off.
“I still have customers coming in and showing support, saying ‘thank you’ to us,” he said.
“It's placed it in the forefront of people's minds and people are still talking about it.
"The positive feedback has far and away outweighed the negative.”
