Move Home After Leaving Dangerous Situation at Toxic Job

Hello all - I recently was forced to leave my career of 5 years due to a hostile work environment, where my managers did nothing to protect me. I was a strong and successful AGM at 24-hour deli/convenience store chain Wawa.

In January of 2025, an associate of mine began harassing me and another associate who used to work at my store but transferred to get away from this person. My GM did nothing and allowed everything to continue.

I began building a case to pursue legal action against the girl, and on Super Bowl weekend she escalated everything. First, she and four men went to the other victim's store and harassed her there (that GM thankfully banned the perpetrator from their location, but my GM STILL did not terminate her even though harassment is against policy).

Two days after they harassed her, a man called my store and asked for me by name. When I answered, he aggressively said, "Oh, you're still there? Alright, bet!" and then he yelled, "And that's on _____" and he yelled the girl's name.

I immediately reported the incident to corporate with tears in my eyes and got away from the windows. My GM STILL did nothing except victim-blame me and try to talk me out of going to the police.

The other victim was granted an emergency protective order by the magistrate without police involvement because everything that happened at her store was on camera. I, however, had to file for a protective order through the clerk's office.

Because my GM would not terminate the perpetrator or even change our schedules, I had to take a leave of absence, not only to get away from the girl but to be away from the building where apparently men I don't know were watching me. I began therapy and went through the courts to get a protective order granted as well. For my court case, I had over 100 pages of proof that the anonymous numbers used to harass myself and many others were coming from her. The rest of my savings went to my lawyer, and my permanent protective order was granted.

The entire process took over a month. During this time, I was also waiting to hear back from the corporate office and the ethics hotline about what was being allowed to happen. The girl never got in trouble, and nobody from corporate reached out to me after my initial intake phone calls. I ended up quitting and filing a complaint with the EEOC.

I now work somewhere else. I went from $30 hourly + OT + monthly bonuses (80k/year) to now making $14 hourly in a warehouse environment. I lost my insurance and had to stop therapy and stop going to my various specialists for my chronic health condition.

I have tried to make it work, but I have to move back home to my parents. I don't feel safe in this city anymore. I am asking for help in raising money for me to be able to afford the move as it is several states away and I will have to rent equipment and a truck, as well as hotels, etc. My parents cannot help fund the move due to an upcoming surgery next month.

Before all of this happened to me, I depleted a large part of my safety net for my childhood friend and her daughter (my goddaughter) to get away from their abusive situation and start over. My credit and high income allowed me to do this and help support them getting back on their feet, and I'm currently her cosigner for her lease. She finally did not need my help with rent about a month before this happened to me. Now that I've had to leave my high-earning career, I cannot help them should anything happen to them, nor can I keep up with the credit card payments, which I used to help fund their rough transition.

Before I began helping them, I had great credit, never carried a balance on my accounts, and had several thousand saved up. I dipped into my safety net and used my financial privilege to help them because they are my family. Now I have nothing left for me as I unexpectedly have to uproot my own life.

My lease is over at the end of July, and I don't get my first paycheck from my new job until June 27th. The entire check will go to my final month of rent. I am delivering for Uber Eats to pay for my non-rent bills.

Please help me reach my goal so that I'm able to rent a truck and make it back home and be safe and start my life over. I am afraid, and I haven't been home in 15 years. This is a humbling experience. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.