In June, based on statistics from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, joblessness reached 8.1 percent in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

John Eggers wants to hear from the unemployed.

He wants to know what you’re thinking and how you’re feeling. Egger is offering himself as a resource for those in St. Cloud who want to vent and tell their stories.

Counseling and psychological services director at St. Cloud State University (SCSU), Eggers is part of a group of university leaders who are brainstorming for ways to be a better resource for the jobless in the St. Cloud area during this deep recession.

The thought is that the university might be a place for some unemployed workers to retrain and “upgrade their skills.” The director is making himself available to area St. Cloud citizens via phone consultations only – no face-to-face counseling. Student tuition pays for that, he says.

Eggers stated that people in distress need to feel that someone is listening in order to process the stress. Otherwise, some give up and turn to alcohol or substance abuse in attempts to deal with the hardship, which tends to only create conflict with family and friends.

Depending on specific needs, Eggers’ purpose will be to try to help find other resources for displaced workers who contact him. He stated that life consists of a lot of “very difficult times” and that our current economy is “producing difficult times” for many.

One certainty that consistently surfaces with those unemployed is foreclosure. It is one of the dominating factors in foreclosures and loan modifications today. For sale signs on front lawns of foreclosed homes are a staple for now in most cities across the nation.

In addition to home foreclosures, we’re seeing elevated vacancies in commercial property. Commercial properties are even being foreclosed on in many major cities. Less money coming in from sales means less money to spend on commercial space. Businesses pay for their commercial space out of income from patrons.

For now, the director of a local university is trying to make a difference in this little corner of the nation.. If you need Eggers to lend a listening ear, feel free to call him at (320) 308-3171.