New Foster Care Project by ‘Together California’ Breaks Ground in Palmdale: Actor Christian Bale’s Yearslong Vision

PALMDALE, Calif., Feb. 8 (KNN) — Wednesday was the official day crews and trucks broke ground for a brand new foster care project in Palmdale which has been Academy Award winning actor Christian Bale’s yearslong vision for helping brothers and sisters stay together in the foster care system.

Christian Bale and wife Sibi, along with Eric Esrailian are co-founders of “Together California,” which presents a refreshing vision for the foster care system in keeping siblings together in a stable, supportive environment.

British-born Bale told Key News Network at the site that he was so blessed in coming to America, and how his acting career has given him the foot in the door to be able to be involved in a project like this to help children.

When asked by KNN why he chose the Antelope Valley for the project, Bale said Los Angeles County has more foster kids than anywhere else in the United States. In light of that fact, he knew the project had to be somewhere in Los Angeles County.

Bale said that the three areas of highest need in Los Angeles County are the Antelope Valley, South Los Angeles, and the city of San Fernando and Pacoima. He spent 16 years driving around the areas looking at land and meeting people. Palmdale just embraced the concept and helped them find land, Bale said.

“If we do well here, then it will be the first of many and then revisit South L.A., city of San Fernando, [and] Pacoima.”

This project will provide stability unlike traditional foster care where it can be 14 days and they’re moving on, according to Bale. Ageing out of foster care is also something Bale says they focus on because that is where so much can go wrong and kids could end up on the streets. Bale said that 50% end up homeless.

Completion of the project is expected to take a couple of years. At that time, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony and families will be brought into the village – the permanent “professional” parents and kids as well.

“The vision is becoming a reality,” said co-founder Eric Esrailian who also spoke to KNN at the ground breaking ceremony. It filled his heart to see so many people come together in this environment of helping children. “My cup overflows,” Esrailian said.

The vision is for 70 to 80 children at any one time, according to Esrailian. They plan on building 12 homes, a community center and studio apartments. It’s an opportunity to make a difference in these children’s lives; to help these children grow up and then to transition into adulthood in a supportive environment with a support network that’s there to help them, said Esrailian.

Esrailian is a physician and a staff member at the University of California, Los Angeles, and also an Emmy-nominated film producer. He told KNN that he had worked on a project with Bale that he produced and Bale starred in. Bale spoke with Esrailian knowing that he was involved with a lot of charitable organizations and they discussed Bale’s idea.

Esrailian said they both approached the idea like a movie – taking it from the idea phase, then into putting a plan together – and he had the good fortune of knowing people in the city and the county, and the rest is history.

Kathryn Barger, supervisor for Los Angeles County’s 5th Supervisorial District that includes the Antelope Valley, spoke of her support for the project. She said she has such a sense of joy because keeping brothers and sisters together will be transformational for the kids coming in, and also for the system.

“We’re on the right path and we are going to make a difference,” said Barger.

Anthony Cheval, Video Journalist / KNN