Baird's warming station includes food, clothing, blankets and more, now hosted adjacent to the MC Taco truck at the former In 'N' Out along 10th street.

BAKER CITY — When Cristy Baird set up her first free hot soup and warming station in Baker City on Dec. 9, winter had yet to arrive.

But over the past couple weeks, as the season bared its icy teeth and temperatures plunged below zero, Baird said she’s seen the real faces of need in the community.

And she’s happy that she’s been able to help provide people with a warm meal and warm clothing.

“It’s going really well,” Baird said. “They seem happy to take what they’re taking.”

She’s especially grateful that the weekly event now has a fixed location.

For the first few weeks, Baird moved the warming station to different sites.

But for the past two Sundays, Jan. 14 and 21, the event took place where the MC Taco Bus is set up, the former In ‘N Out Drive In at 10th and E streets.

And that’s where the event will remain, Sundays from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The new location has the benefits of electricity and an awning that offers some shelter from the elements.

The warming station is open to everyone, and includes a crackling fire in a burn barrel, soups and other hot foods, and blankets and warm clothing.

Baird says that she has had a handful of regulars who attend, in a range of ages, with as many as 40 showing up.

Donations, meanwhile, have been consistent.

“It’s perfect. It’s perfectly feeding itself, it never gets overabundance,” she said.

Baird, who was inspired in part from her own experience as a homeless teenager and as an expectant mother, said she has met people at the warming station who remind her of her own past.

“Quite a few, actually,” she said. “And there’s some men that come that have girls at home that just don’t get up, or take some hours to get into the shower,” she said, “So they’re coming to help, and take them our stuff.

“I’ve been in bad ways myself,” Baird said in an earlier interview. “I know what it’s like to not have anybody reach out. It’s really hard to get out of that hole when you don’t have anybody to help you.”

Baird feels she’s making a subtle but noticeable benefit to the community.

“As far as Facebook, I’m seeing less and less posts about people taking cans out of people’s yards,” she said. “The only negative thing I’ve heard or seen is that there are some blankets piling up.”

Baird said she’s heard of discarded blankets left in the Boys Jungle, the wooded area between the Powder River and the Leo Adler Memorial Parkway just north of D Street.

“I assure you we’ll be doing a spring cleanup day,” Baird said. “If we can, we’d probably take them and wash them and hopefully reuse them next year. Other than that, I only get positive feedback.”

Baird strives to make the most use of all donations, including food.

Items that are left after each Sunday’s event are either donated to elderly residents or freeze-dried so they can be reheated for a future Sunday.

Future plans

Although the focus now is on making sure people have access to a fire, hot food and winter clothing, Baird is already planning for the warmer months.

She recently found someone who offered space for a community garden where people could help raise their own food or items for sale.

“If they come, they can work in the garden and they can sell vegetables or make flower bouquets and sell them to make money,” she said. “It’s going to be a healing garden.”

Baird even envisions a Halloween pumpkin patch.

Those who would like to contribute food, materials or time can call Baird at 541-239-8503. More information is available on her Facebook page — “Warming Station.”