Hello Everyone, I am facing a dilemma.
I recently got hired for a new job which will hopefully turn my life around after many (admittedly) poor choices, and people taking advantage of my poor choices, put me into the painful situation of being homeless.
My problem is simple on paper, but something I just can't figure out a solution for. I have onboarding/first day for a new job tomorrow I got hired for which is great. I have all my documentation, past the drug test, so I'll get to learn the ropes. After onboarding, I start fully on Tuesday the 11th. It's a full-time $22/hr position with commission, 5-days/week with a internet/cable sales company. I even have a roommate deal being worked out (though not until Thursday), and I'm hoping through this job, I'll be able to save up, and eventually will (hopefully) save enough to become self-sufficient and get my own place in the near future for a complete turnaround from the bottom.
The issue is that I can't go to my onboarding day without getting “cleaned” up. For my interviews I was assisted with showers and was provided the proper dress attire to wear, but then was thrown back on the street after those few days last month, the system is broken and doesn't make sense as you can see. This time no one is helping me at all, even the shelter (which is often full) for this situation.
If I miss onboarding I lose the job immediately and there is no negotiation because I was hired based on immediate need, if I come in on the first day as I am now I will surely be let go on the spot. The shelters have people always ready to pounce and they always end up full. I do some odd jobs for local business for meals and extra money so I am never around the shelter to beat someone to a room in time, so I haven't been able to get a room/shower for days, and had to compensate by spraying myself silly with Axe deodorant but that's not working much anymore. If I have to head-out by 7AM to get there by 7:30AM, I need to have access to a place that I can get too before 7AM and that's the big problem.
There aren't any places that will be open early morning (-6:30AM) I can find that have access to showers or alternatives. Most relevant businesses don't open until 7AM, with few farther away requiring transportation opening before that, and me not having a car doesn't make those viable. I recently got $25 by helping out friendly small business owners with their trash, cleaning dishes, or other odd jobs but I'm not sure that's going to help me get a shower. Hotels would be the obvious solution but are $50-60 which is double what I just earned and that would leave me with nothing for food regardless. I was thinking maybe part of this can get me to a place farther away to access a shower and return for the onboarding in time, but I haven't found a single place where I could get back on time. Even stuff like the YMCA is too far away for a 30 minute turn around time. I can't find anymore work today to get enough for a hotel.
Quite simply I have no idea what to do. I use the local library computer in an attempt to do more research but the connection is so slow I don't get much. I haven't been able to find anything so far and the onboarding is tomorrow morning at 7:30AM. I'm nearly out of time to figure this out.
I basically just need to be able to get cleaned up BEFORE heading out, I already have the clothes to wear. I just need access to one shower for the onboarding day tomorrow, and then I'll have the roommate situation set up before I return to the job long-term the week after, so if anyone is familiar with Delaware (I'm in between Claymont and Gwinhurst) or just have any general advice or help regarding showers, I appreciate it. I'm in an inconvenient location to access options being houseless without a vehicle, including gyms and truckstops which really makes this a problem.