Christian Bale Celebrates Opening of California Foster Village Designed to Keep Siblings Together
Christian Bale’s longtime dream of creating a welcoming home for foster children has become a reality. The Welsh actor recently celebrated the opening of Together California, a foster care village in Palmdale built around a compassionate goal: helping brothers and sisters remain together.
Bale has emphasized that children entering foster care should not have to endure the additional heartbreak of being separated from their siblings.
“Imagine the absolute pain and the trauma of losing your parents or being torn from your parents, and then losing your brothers and sisters on top of that. That’s no way to treat kids—and so, we will be the hub for that,” Bale said two years before the village opened.
At the recent opening celebration, he shared an uplifting vision for the organization’s work.
“It’s our job to turn their heartbreak and their pain into love and hope and a sense of future,” Bale said.
Together California’s village stands on 4.67 acres purchased in 2022. Its 12 fully furnished housing units provide a combined 11,000 square feet of living space where foster siblings can share a stable and caring environment.
Many generous supporters helped bring the project to life. The Austrian American Council West raised more than $9 million for the effort, while actor and philanthropist Leonardo DiCaprio also contributed.
Bale and his wife, Sibi, began exploring California’s foster care system after the birth of their first daughter. As they considered who would care for her if they were no longer able to, they became curious about the experiences of children in foster care.
Their research revealed how frequently siblings are placed in separate homes and grow up apart. Bale became determined to help more children avoid that loss by creating a place where family bonds could be protected.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger also played an important role in bringing the village to the Antelope Valley. Together California co-founder and UCLA professor Eric Esrailian praised her enthusiastic support.
“She embraced this project. She said we have to do this in the Antelope Valley. She connected us with Palmdale, and here we are today,” Esrailian said.
The completed village represents what can happen when community leaders, donors and advocates work toward a shared purpose. For Bale, it is also a hopeful step toward providing foster children with consistent support, lasting connections and brighter futures.
“With LA County having more kids in foster care than anywhere else in America, it’s time we stand together and take a holistic, loving, and long-term approach to take better care of our children,” Bale said.
