A $271,429 unrestricted gift from the estate of Delbert D. “Del” Disselhorst, a longtime University of Iowa professor of organ, has enabled the United Way of Johnson and Washington Counties to purchase a permanent office location at 160 Southgate Ave., Suite A in Iowa City.
The United Way had previously been operating out of a small, rented space and was considering options for expanding. The gift from Mr. Disselhorst’s estate to the United Way provided the down payment for the new 3,000-square-foot office and additional resources for organizational improvements.
The new space includes private offices, a conference room, and dedicated work areas for volunteers supporting annual events, like the Ready, Set, School! supply drive and The Power of the Purse fundraiser.
“We are so grateful,” said Jennifer Banta, president and CEO of the United Way of Johnson and Washington Counties. “His support to numerous nonprofit organizations is astounding and will be tremendously impactful.”
The donation will also fund technology upgrades and enhancements to the organization’s website, branding, and marketing, and help advance programs under the Stronger Together Community Roadmap initiative.
Mr. Disselhorst, who died Sept. 1, 2022 at the age of 83, was professor of organ at the University of Iowa from 1970 until his retirement in 2008. Born in Keokuk, Iowa in 1949 and raised in Hamilton, Illinois, he studied in Germany as a Fulbright Scholar and earned advanced music degrees from the University of Illinois and University of Michigan.
His concert career included performances in the United States, Europe, and Korea, with appearances at venues such as Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and Trier Cathedral in Germany.
In his will, Mr. Disselhorst directed funding to 13 organizations, many in the Iowa City area. Beneficiaries include the Crisis Center, Iowa City Hospice, ICARE, Habitat for Humanity, Heritage Area Agency on Aging, Ronald McDonald House, and the American Cancer Society, as well as several groups in Hamilton, Illinois.
A dedication ceremony for the new United Way office is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 11 at 4 p.m.
