Habitat Ventura broke ground on its first true homebuilding site on Charles Henderson’s property in Oak View. Throughout the Oak View community, Charles was known simply as the Vegetable Man. To supplement his income, Charles would sell vegetables he grew on his property. Without a car and unable to tell time, Charles was known to sit around the bus stop for hours, waiting for his ride, rain or shine, and always with a smile on his face.
In the late 1980s he met Virgil Nelson, founder of Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County, who helped get Charles a travel trailer on his property for safer housing.
By 1990, Habitat Ventura was breaking ground on its first full home build, which happened to be on Charles’ Oak View property. After two years of construction, Charles moved into his new home in July 1993.
Henderson was so moved in receiving his home that by 1994, he donated two additional land parcels to Habitat Ventura and willed his personal residence parcel to the organization upon his death, ultimately enabling three family homes to be built.
Charles Henderson passes away on September 30, 2000 and his final land parcel transfers to Habitat Ventura. Virgil Nelson would later describe the gift as proportionally equivalent to an $18.5 million donation.
