Together California Ribbon-Cutting in Palmdale with Christian Bale
PALMDALE, CA — Together California marked a major milestone in Palmdale this week, celebrating the grand opening of its first-ever foster care village — a groundbreaking facility designed to keep siblings together within the foster system. The event drew local leaders, community members, and high-profile supporters, underscoring the significance of the project for families across the Antelope Valley.
A Landmark Ribbon-Cutting in Palmdale
Actor Christian Bale, his wife Sibi Bale, and physician-producer Dr. Eric Esrailian joined Southern California officials for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially launching Together California’s inaugural foster care village. The celebration highlighted years of planning and collaboration aimed at addressing one of the foster system’s most persistent challenges: keeping brothers and sisters together. 1
The new Palmdale facility features 12 fully furnished homes across six duplexes, each intentionally designed to accommodate larger sibling groups. This model is the first of its kind in Los Angeles County, offering a stable, supportive environment where children can grow together rather than being separated into different placements. 1
A Purpose-Built Village for Sibling Stability
The 4.7-acre village surrounds a central community facility and is staffed by trained foster parents dedicated to caring for sibling groups. The need is especially urgent in the Antelope Valley, where 30% of sibling groups include four or more children, and 16% involve five or more siblings — numbers that often make traditional placements impossible. Together California’s model directly addresses this gap. 2
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes Palmdale, emphasized the importance of the project: keeping siblings together provides emotional stability and continuity during one of the most difficult periods of a child’s life. She championed the initiative and secured $3 million in county financing, along with an additional $1.06 million in discretionary funding, to help bring the village to fruition. 2
Community Support and Future Impact
The grand opening marks a major step forward for foster youth in the region. With the facility now operational, Together California aims to create a model that can be replicated statewide — one that prioritizes family unity, trauma-informed care, and long-term stability.
Local leaders at the event praised the project as a transformative addition to Palmdale, aligning with broader efforts to strengthen community resources and support vulnerable youth. The celebration also served as a reminder of the power of public-private partnerships in addressing systemic challenges.
What This Means for Palmdale
For the Antelope Valley, the new foster care village represents:
A first-of-its-kind resource for keeping siblings together
New jobs and community engagement opportunities
A model for future foster care reform across California
A symbol of hope and stability for families navigating the foster system
Together California’s grand opening is more than a ribbon-cutting — it’s a commitment to reimagining foster care with compassion, innovation, and community at its core.
References (2)
1 Christian Bale opens first-of-its-kind sibling foster village in LA County | FOX 11 Los Angeles. https://www.foxla.com/video/fmc-gwbfq2ub838obdpk
2 L.A. County Supervisors Approve $3 Million to Help Bring Together California Foster Care Village to Palmdale - Supervisor Kathryn Barger. https://kathrynbarger.lacounty.gov/l-a-county-supervisors-approve-3-million-to-help-bring-together-california-foster-care-village-to-palmdale/
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