Domino’s pizza Ballina and Alstonville manager Jack Norris on raising money for Benny Briffa and family after Wollongbar house fire

When a young North Coast family’s home burned to the ground, claiming their dogs and possessions, a Domino’s manager and his team came to the rescue. Here’s how you can pitch in to help on Wednesday.

Benny Briffa’s Wollongbar home after the fire destroyed it. Picture: Facebook.

When a young North Coast family’s home burned to the ground, claiming their pet dogs and possessions, a Domino’s manager and his team came to the rescue – donating money from each pizza to help get them back on their feet.

And it’s not the first time Domino’s pizza Ballina and Alstonville manager Jack Norris has raised money for a worthy cause.

On January 22, Benny Briffa, his wife and their now two-year-old daughter, were out when the tragic electrical fire destroyed their family home in Ballina Shire town Wollongbar.

The Briffa family – Benny with his wife and daughter.

The Briffas lost everything – all possessions were destroyed and the family dogs also perished.

When Mr Norris heard about this tragic event, he decided to raise money by donating $1 from every pizza sold at Ballina and Alstonville on Wednesday, February 14.

Other businesses like Ballina’s My Mechanic have also been assisting.

“We heard the sirens going off when happening and … we thought we’d reach out and see if we can do anything to give hand,” Mr Norris said.

“After it happened he (Mr Briffa) was in Ballina and we organised to have food made for him … so he didn’t have to stress about dinner that night.”

The inside of the Briffa family home after the fire. Picture: Facebook.

Mr Norris said the family were regular customers, but he didn’t realise Mr Briffa’s siblings worked for Domino’s until the fire happened.

The decision to donate money came after Mr Norris’s housemate raised the idea.

Mr Norris has previously conducted similar givebacks through Dominos ‘Doughraisers’ program, most notably in response to the record 2022 floods.

Jack Norris, store manager of Domino’s Alstonville.

During the peak, Mr Norris handed out five free pizzas to each customer. If someone was going to Lismore or had mud on them, the rule was “it’s how many pizzas they can fit in their car”, he said.

“There were people that didn’t want us to give them food for free so we just gave it to them at half price – they didn’t really get the choice,” Mr Norris said.

Locals using a canoe to transport their pizzas from Domino’s Alstonville during the 2022 floods. Picture: Facebook.

He said it took him a while to fess up to his boss the exact number of pizzas he had given away during the floods – but it was all worth it in the long run.

“You’ve just got to help people where you can and we had the ability to help,” he said.

No doubt, the business has since been well-supported by thankful community members.

The Briffa family home earlier this year.

Mr Briffa said he has felt the full force of the community’s amazing generosity.

“I’m really grateful and just want to say thank you … to my sister, thanks to the community and the firies and the police,” he said.

“My brothers worked at the Domino’s after school, so it’s a tight community.”

Mr Briffa said other businesses in town have also rallied behind his family – including Ballina’s My Mechanic.

“There are other people who have been through worse, it’s all relative and we have a roof over our heads (now),” he said.

“But we still lost everything, we lost a lifetime of stuff … the (loss of the) dogs crushed us the most”.

Mr Briffa’s sister has also set up a GoFundMe page to help support the family.

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