How a Campton Hills man's Costanza haircut raised $15K for a Batavia food pantry

Two-year-old Emi Ninedorf checks out her dad's new haircut, which was styled live on Facebook to raise money for charity. Courtesy of Nick Ninedorf

To raise money for charity, Nick Ninedorf, a 33-year-old financial adviser who lives in Campton Hills, had his hair styled to look like "Seinfeld" character George Costanza. His wife, Karly, cut his hair live on Facebook. Here, they pose with their 2-year-old daughter, Emi. Courtesy of Nick Ninedorf

A 33-year-old financial adviser has raised more than $15,000 to support the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry during the coronavirus pandemic -- and he has the hairstyle of "Seinfeld" character George Costanza to show for it.

Having sported the same professional do for the past decade, Nick Ninedorf noticed his full head of hair was getting a little shaggy during the stay-at-home order.

Rather than ask his wife, Karly, to give him a trim -- she had never done it before and was starting to get nervous -- the Campton Hills resident saw an opportunity to simultaneously do something charitable and make people smile.

On April 10, Ninedorf launched a Facebook fundraiser seeking donations for the food pantry, an organization founded by local churches to help families in need. In turn, he pledged to let his wife cut his hair live on Facebook.

Here's the catch: The amount of money raised would determine how Ninedorf's hair would be styled.

Nick Ninedorf, a 33-year-old financial adviser, had a full head of hair before his wife, Karly, cut it live on Facebook to raise money for the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry. - Courtesy of Nick Ninedorf

Anything less than $1,000 and he'd keep his "normal, boring" financial adviser haircut, his Facebook post said. The styles became increasingly ridiculous from there: the haircut worn by rapper Macklemore, a flat top, a bowl cut, a mohawk, and finally, if he exceeded $10,000, "The Costanza."

Ninedorf and his friends bounced around ideas for pairing cuts to price ranges before deciding the top-tier hairstyle should resemble that of the famously bald "Seinfeld" character.

Ninedorf never expected to make it that far; the halfway point, he thought, might be achievable. But by Sunday, hundreds of people had given about $11,000 to the cause, and more donations were rolling in.

Karly got to work that afternoon shaving the top of her husband's head and cutting his remaining hair, all of which was broadcast on Facebook Live. With her funny facial expressions and nervous laughter, Ninedorf said, his wife was the real star of the roughly 40-minute video.

Nick Ninedorf, 33, bends down to show off his new Costanza-style haircut to his 2-year-old daughter, Emi. - Courtesy of Nick Ninedorf

A subsequent video posted to the fundraiser page showed his 2-year-old daughter, Emi, wearing a bewildered expression before telling her dad she liked his new cut.

As of Tuesday evening, more than $15,600 had been collected for the food pantry, and Ninedorf was keeping his promise to wear the Costanza style proudly for an entire week. That means no hats allowed.

"It's such a double-edged sword," he said, chuckling. "It's such a great cause, but I look like an idiot."

The Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry is crucial in helping community members who are struggling, whether it be with food insecurity, unemployment, financial problems or other issues, said Ninedorf, who grew up in Batavia and now runs his business there. The global health crisis has led to a greater demand for those services.

"It's something I think everyone can get behind," he said. "Nobody would want their neighbor or someone they care about to be hungry, but unfortunately that's the reality for a lot of people right now."

The purpose of the "Quarantine Haircut for Charity" extends beyond its philanthropic mission, Ninedorf said. He hopes it serves as an example that something as simple as a haircut can make a difference in the most challenging of times.

"It's a good reminder that our better nature will carry us through this and we will come out stronger on the other side," his Facebook post says. "This moment in our history has been a stark reminder of how our actions deeply impact those around us. Right now, we get to decide if those are positive or negative effects. Be good to one another."