Christian Bale Builds $22M Foster Care Village in California

PALMDALE, Calif. — Actor Christian Bale, best known for his portrayal of Batman, is spearheading a $22 million project to build a foster care village in Palmdale, California, aimed at keeping siblings together in a nurturing environment. The initiative, set to open in 2025, will feature 12 homes, two studio apartments, and a 7,000-square-foot community center.

Bale and his wife, Sibi, have been advocates for improving Los Angeles‘ foster care system for over 16 years. The couple partnered with Dr. Eric Esrailian of UCLA and Tim McCormick, a foster care expert, to co-found Together California, the organization behind the project. The village will include gardens, recreational spaces, and sports areas to foster community engagement.

“With our Together California model, [the village] is something absolutely new, totally transformative, and something completely needed,” Bale said. “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.”

The actor emphasized the importance of collaboration in bringing the project to life. “I needed people like Eric and Tim, who have worked in foster care for many years. Eric is far more knowledgeable about how to actually get things done,” Bale explained. He also acknowledged the challenges of the project, stating, “It’s complicated and tough to help kids. It should be a hell of a lot easier than it was, but I didn’t flinch for one second.”

Bale has been deeply involved in the planning and execution of the village, from selecting the location to participating in construction tasks. “You can’t just pick a place. You’ve got to walk around, see what it feels like. How far is it to school? Is it practical? Where are the local stores?” he said. “I get obsessed and I get into details. I absolutely wanted to walk the streets and find out.”

The project, which broke ground in 2022, is expected to serve as a model for future foster care initiatives. Bale hopes the village will inspire others to address the needs of foster children. “I hope that this village will be the first of many,” he said. “These are our children, and we must help our children.”