Sometimes, life changes out of the blue. A sudden injury. An unexpected diagnosis. A new reality you weren’t prepared for.
Over a hundred years ago, in the small Texas town of Ottine, the original site of the Warm Springs Foundation was stumbled upon… out of the blue.
Drilling for oil, the folks in Ottine were looking for black gold. But instead of crude black liquid, warm blue water came bubbling up from deep in the ground. And it turned out to be more valuable than oil. Full of natural minerals, this water was plentiful and stayed warm all year long. It was soon found that those waters could also help heal.
In 1937, the Warm Springs Foundation was formed, and work began to build a hospital for children with polio around those waters. In 1941, families looking for any semblance of hope and healing began to come from all over Texas when the Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital opened its doors.
And hope they found: in the warm blue springs, in the care they received, and in each other. Even in those days, Warm Springs Foundation didn’t just treat the illness. It treated people with kindness, respect, and belief in what was possible.
By the time polio began to retreat, many children and adults’ lives had been profoundly impacted by the compassionate care provided at Warm Springs, and the mission of Warm Springs Foundation began to evolve and expand geographically. Today, the Foundation continues to support individuals whose lives have changed out of the blue. From neurotrauma, spinal cord injuries, limb loss, and other unexpected challenges, we help individuals rediscover healing, strength, and renewed hope.
While the original site in Ottine is no longer a hospital but a tranquil spa where visitors enjoy the same mineral-rich, healing waters, the spirit of the Foundation lives on. Through modern grants and strategic partnerships, Warm Springs Foundation supports nonprofits across Texas that advance rehabilitation, assistive technologies, and essential social services. Much has changed since those early days, but the mission lives on: to create and sustain life-altering possibilities for those who need them most.
Because just like the water that came out of the ground without warning, hope can rise out of the blue, too. Whether someone is learning to walk again, using a new prosthetic, or simply trying to feel whole after something difficult has occurred, they are not alone. We’re here. And we believe in what comes next.
At Warm Springs Foundation, we know that healing can bring welcome surprises. We also know that along the healing journey, strength can return, joy can grow, and out of the blue, something powerful can happen:
A new beginning. A new future. A life transformed.
Join us in creating life-altering possibilities.
Whether through partnership, support, or simply sharing our story, you can help bring hope to those whose lives have changed out of the blue. Together, we can turn moments of crisis into milestones of strength.