CHRISTIAN BALE BUILDING UNIQUE VILLAGE WITH HIS WIFE TO KEEP ALL FOSTER CARE SIBLINGS TOGETHER
Except for Christian Bale, not all heroes wear capes. The actor, who is perhaps best known for his role as Batman, is now working on a unique village in California that will allow foster care siblings to live together in a supportive environment. Since discovering that Los Angeles has the most children in foster care in the country, Bale and his wife, Sibi, have spent more than 16 years working to improve the city's foster care system. They bought land in September 2022 and teamed up with Dr. Eric Esrailian of UCLA, a longtime friend, to co-found Together California. They also brought on Tim McCormick—an expert with over 18 years of experience creating innovative care systems for foster children—to lead the project as executive director.
The Together California village is anticipated to be finished in 2025 and is projected to cost $22 million. It will have 12 residences, two studio apartments, and a 7,000-square-foot community centre in Palmdale, a city 60 miles north of Los Angeles. Its purpose is to create a secure and supportive environment where siblings can flourish together. Sports fields, parks, and gardens will also provide entertaining settings where kids and families can congregate to learn and work together. Foster parents who work full-time with Together California will be responsible for providing each child with individualized care.
"The village is something completely new, completely transformative, and something that is desperately needed with our Together California model. Bale says, "Imagine the sheer anguish and trauma of losing your parents or being separated from them, and then losing your siblings on top of that. That's no way to treat kids." Therefore, we will serve as the centre for that. I hope that Californians and Angelenos will know to join us in waking up to what's happening right in front of our eyes and that this village will be the first of many. These are our kids, and we have to support them.
Bale has big plans for the village's future, but working with the right group of people is necessary to make those plans a reality. "I needed people with years of experience working in foster care, like Eric and Tim. Additionally, he reveals that Eric simply knows a lot more about how to get things done. Additionally, I had the wildly impractical notion that in a year, I would have produced a miniature version of Sound of Music, complete with children singing on hills in an endlessly happy setting. However, I found that it takes a very long time and requires highly motivated individuals. It is difficult and complex to assist children. It should have been much simpler than it was, but I didn't even bat an eye.
In addition to providing his vision and a substantial donation, Bale actively participates in site operations. "You can't just pick a place," he says, reflecting on his involvement. You must take a stroll and experience the atmosphere. What is the distance to school? Is it useful? Where are the neighbourhood shops? All of that was just me. I become detail-oriented and obsessed. It all makes me very narrow-minded. I really wanted to explore the streets and learn more. Bale and his spouse picked up shovels and got their hands dirty on the construction site, as seen in recent photos from the project's "groundbreaking" event.