Full Breakdown
Christian Bale Opens $22 Million “Together California” Foster-Care Village in Palmdale
By Drooid · · How we work
Opening of the Village
Actor Christian Bale attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Together California, a newly completed foster-care campus in Palmdale, California. The 11,000-square-foot community includes twelve furnished townhomes designed for sibling groups of up to six children, two studio units for young adults transitioning out of care, and a 7,000-square-foot center for stability-focused programs. Organizers said residents will begin moving in next month.
Background and Development
Bale’s involvement began roughly seventeen years ago after observing his own daughter’s stable upbringing. He co-founded the project with his wife Sibi Blažic and Dr. Eric Esrailian, a UCLA physician. After years of planning, the site—situated on a 4.67-acre parcel in the Antelope Valley—broke ground in February 2024. Funding combined nearly $9 million raised by the Austrian American Council West with $1.7 million in public money from the city of Palmdale and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Key Figures
- Christian Bale – Actor, co-founder of Together California.
- Dr. Eric Esrailian – UCLA physician, co-founder; credited Supervisor Kathryn Barger for connecting the project to Palmdale.
- Tim McCormick – Executive Director of Together California.
- Veronika Reinelt – President of the Austrian American Council West, major fundraiser.
- Kathryn Barger – Los Angeles County Supervisor, championed the village’s placement.
Official Statements & Responses
Reinelt framed the effort as a legacy measured by improved children’s lives rather than personal recognition.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It's our job to turn their heartbreak and their pain into love and hope and a sense of future,” — Christian Bale
- “A place where everyone is welcomed, a place that keeps families together, a place that creates community, a place where you can find hope in the most challenging of times,” — Together California Executive Director
- “Perhaps the greatest legacy we can leave is not that our names will be remembered, but that children's lives are better because we cared,” — Austrian American Council West
- “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,” — Dr. Eric Esrailian
- “I guarantee you this project is going to change the trajectory of each and every child that steps foot on this campus,” — County Supervisor Kathryn Barger