The Legacy

The Ben D. Johnson Educational Center was founded by Claire Prymus in honor of her late uncle, Mr. Ben D. Johnson. Mr. Johnson was a successful, self-made business man. During the 1960’s, his holdings represented one of the largest minority-owned enterprises in the state of Louisiana. Businesses included Winnfield Funeral Homes, Winnfield Casket, Winnfield Life Insurance, BDJ Construction Company and real estate development.

Mr. Johnson built his home in 1959 in the center of the neighborhood he served, and lived there until his death in 2005. Mr. Johnson loved his community and gave of himself, his time and his earnings. 

When residents could not get loans from banks to buy their first home or car, they went to Mr. Johnson. When a neighbor fell upon hard times and couldn’t make ends meet, they went to Mr. Johnson. When churches could not get support from financial institutions, they too went to Mr. Johnson.  

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Mr. Johnson was a philanthropist. He believed in the saying, “An idle mind is a playground for poor decisions and costly mistakes”. He thought if the youth in the neighborhood had something positive, productive and/or interesting to do after school, they would be less likely to get into trouble. He then built a ball park and started the first league in West Natchitoches. He built a boxing club on the “Square” at MLK and Ben Johnson Drive. He gave generously to his church First Baptist on North Street where he was a member for over 60 years.

Mr. Johnson believed in the City of Natchitoches, the community where he lived, the people who made up those neighborhoods and most importantly, the youth, who were his greatest concern. To continue Mr. Johnson’s legacy to support the people in Natchitoches, the Ben D. Johnson Educational Center (BDJ Center) was formed. The center’s main goal is to empower those within the community, who are 17 and up and SNAP eligible to reach their full potential. BDJ Center is composed of several programs designed to transform lives and build community in Natchitoches.

 
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Our Programs:

  • The LWD Program

    The BDJ Center’s new Legacy Workforce Development Program has undergone significant changes to better meet the needs of our community. We are now an affiliate of SNAP Employment & Training, a federally funded grant program designed to provide program participants “opportunities to gain skills, training, work, or experience that will increase their ability to obtain regular employment and meet state or local workforce needs.” This new program eliminates the program’s age restriction, meaning we can serve all SNAP-eligible Natchitoches residents ages 17 and above. Learn more here.

  • Healthy Behaviors Initiative

    Comprised of 20 raised beds and a whole lot of love, the Legacy Garden produced over 500 pounds of produce in 2020, and is well on its way to braking that amount in 2021. The garden is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00am - 12:00pm for volunteering or just exploring. The garden also acts as a “Living Classroom” where students learn about planting, caring for, and harvesting all the produce they will prepare and serve in the Legacy Café and Legacy Corner Store. Learn more here.

  • The Legacy Corner Store

    In an area classified as a food dessert, access to fresh, healthy food in walking distance is not possible. We are attempting to solve this issue in West Natchitoches with the Legacy Corner Store. The Corner Store sells produce straight from the Legacy Garden, as well as healthy foods from other suppliers and staple home goods such as paper towels, laundry detergent, and toilet paper. The Legacy Corner Store lives inside the Legacy Café, making shopping and dining a convenient experience. Learn more here.