During the worst of the pandemic, when my neighbors needed help the most, I could count on Dan Isaacson. I spent much of the pandemic in the Whiteaker neighborhood, living down the street from Isaacson’s business. While I was chair of the Whiteaker Community Council (WCC), the nonprofit neighborhood association for the Whiteaker neighborhood, we provided 1,300 COVID vaccinations to many of our low-income neighbors who couldn’t access the vaccine anywhere else. Isaacson was one of the first people I reached out to for help to get the word out about the services, vaccines and PPE that the WCC was providing free to our neighbors at monthly clinics.

When I would come to Isaacson about what we needed from the Whiteaker business community, he would always lead by example. Isaacson employs over 35 people in the Whiteaker and helped move four of our previously unhoused neighbors into permanent housing. While I’ve moved to the Jefferson Westside neighborhood (aka Whiteaker Heights), part of me will always be rooting for the people of Ward 7 because they’re scrappy, opinionated, and when times get tough, they rise to the occasion and get shit done. Isaacson is no different.

 Isaacson knows the problems facing Ward 7 because he’s faced them head on, time and time again, as a neighbor, as a business owner and as a community leader. Now, Isaacson’s ready to step up as Ward 7’s council member. That’s why I’m advocating for our city council to appoint Isaacson as the interim Ward 7 councilor.

Ian Winbrock

Eugene, Ward 7

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