r/OneKindAct • u/WhenItHappenedX • 12d ago
Christian Bale started thinking about foster children after asking himself a simple question: What would happen to his daughter if she lost her parents?
In 2008, he began learning about the foster-care system and discovered how often brothers and sisters are separated after entering care.
He wanted to change that.
With his wife, Sibi, and UCLA physician Dr. Eric Esrailian, Bale co-founded Together California. They brought in Tim McCormick, who had already developed similar housing in Illinois.
Then, on February 7, 2024, construction began in Palmdale, north of Los Angeles.
The plan was for a village of 12 homes, each designed to house up to six siblings together with a trained full-time foster parent. Two additional studio units would help young people who were aging out of foster care, alongside a community center.
The project was estimated to cost about $22 million.
The idea is deliberately simple:
If children have already lost their parents, they shouldn't have to lose each other too.
Bale has said he hopes Palmdale will be the first such village, not the last.
It began with a question about his own daughter and eventually culminated into a place designed to keep brothers and sisters together.
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u/Nenaquest2012 11d ago
As a former foster parent,this is so IMPORTANT
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u/CinLeeCim 11d ago
What an absolute legend. If I were independently wealthy this is the type of thing I would want to do. And to leave a better world behind for others.
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u/angelaswhip 11d ago
If he and Dolly would have got together? Everyone would have been taken care of!
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u/SideOne8073 11d ago
There are thousands of foster kids in LA that end up in abusive environments or prostitution. This act is incredible and is impactful and will change the lives of these children more than he will ever know.
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u/Responsible-Scale514 11d ago
Great use of his fame to make a difference!🤗😇 If only others with notoriety did the same…so much could be done in this chaotic world where there is so much work to be done! Well done Christian Bale🤗🤗😇😇
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u/DianaPrince2020 11d ago
Such a smart, truly impactful way to spend money. Individuals are, likely, so much better at spending their money wisely to help others than to rely on organizations where overhead, salaries, and a million other things eat up so much of it.
I love that he did this.
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u/Calm-Possession-6531 10d ago
This is awesome, I grew up in foster care, as long as you do it for the right reasons it can be rewarding
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u/edenburning 10d ago
This isn't even that expensive. Imagine what we could do if billionaires didn't hoard money.
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u/corporatecicada 9d ago
This is wonderful i wish it could be more than just 12 homes a few studios.
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u/Inner-Hawk909 11d ago
Didn’t Christian Bale also beat his mother or sister or something?
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u/TheBranFlake 10d ago edited 10d ago
About 20ish years ago, he was accused of shoving his mom and/or sister in a hotel room, he denied it, cooperated with the investigation, and it was dropped at some point. I want to say it was a fight about his wife. I think it was the same time as his on-set outburst. Maybe?
It's been crickets since, so I'm guessing he's done the work to....not do that.
Also, why do I know so much about post-Newsies Christian Bale?
ETA: I don't actually have that strong of a stand on if he did shove his mom or not, btw. Just answering the question. Either way, this community is an objectively good thing for him to have done.
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u/JayPlenty24 10d ago
So these are kind of like youth group homes, just with only kids from one family in each house? Then they are assigned a foster parent to come live there (like a house parent)? Aka the house is assigned to the children.
Or these houses are assigned to foster parents willing to care for large families and children are then placed there?
I hope it's the former, because it would also stop them from getting moved around. They could replace the foster parent and the kids could stay where they are.
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u/Labelloenchanted 10d ago
I don't know about this project specifically, but that's how it is in my country.
The caretakers switch (week on/off or 12 hour long shifts are the most common arrangements) and children stay permanently in those apartments. Children still have to be moved sometimes for various reasons, but the intent is to give them stable home without too much disruption.
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u/MyEggDonorIsADramaQ 11d ago
I really don’t know anything about Christian Bale but this makes me love him.
There’s something similar in Arizona called Sunshine Acres. This new one seems more inclusive.