Odessa's Place Receives $250 Donation for Easter Basket Giveaway

The community service center in Erie's Little Italy will use the funds to support its annual holiday outreach efforts.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Odessa's Place, a community service center in Erie's Little Italy neighborhood, received a $250 donation this week from Auto Express Resale Center and Loving Giving Local. The funding will go toward the center's upcoming Easter basket giveaway that typically serves between 200 and 250 local residents.

Why it matters

Odessa's Place has served the Erie community for over 20 years, providing free clothing, toys, reading programs, and other essential services to families in need. The Easter basket giveaway is one of the center's key seasonal outreach efforts, helping to support hundreds of local residents during the holiday.

The details

Founded by retired teacher Carol Troop in honor of her mother Odessa Meredith, Odessa's Place functions as a community service hub located at 628 W. 18th St. in Erie's Little Italy neighborhood. In addition to the Easter basket giveaway, the center offers various programs and services year-round, all provided free of charge.

  • Odessa's Place was founded more than 20 years ago.
  • The Easter basket giveaway is scheduled for April 4, 2026.

The players

Odessa's Place

A community service center in Erie's Little Italy neighborhood that provides free clothing, toys, reading programs, and other essential services to families in need.

Carol Troop

The founder of Odessa's Place and a retired teacher who established the center in honor of her mother, Odessa Meredith.

Auto Express Resale Center

A local business that provided a $250 donation to support Odessa's Place's upcoming Easter basket giveaway.

Loving Giving Local

A community initiative that partnered with Auto Express Resale Center to deliver the $250 donation to Odessa's Place.

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What they’re saying

“We serve for the holidays, we give away toys. We have reading programs. I am a retired teacher. So we do reading programs. We have services here; you can see we are set up.”

— Carol Troop, Founder, Odessa's Place (yourerie.com)

“Odessa's Place is a treasure in our community and has been for more than 21 years. For us to be able to deliver her Loving Giving Local today and learn all that she's doing in the community and to learn today the donation we bring is going to go toward their Easter basket giveaway, that's what Loving Giving Local is all about.”

— Joe Askins, Auto Express Resale Center (yourerie.com)

What’s next

The Easter basket giveaway at Odessa's Place is scheduled for April 4, 2026.

The takeaway

Odessa's Place has been a vital community resource in Erie's Little Italy neighborhood for over 20 years, providing essential services and holiday outreach to families in need. The center's upcoming Easter basket giveaway, supported by a $250 donation, demonstrates the power of local partnerships and community-driven initiatives to make a meaningful impact.