TUNICA, Miss. — The $8 million First Delta Federal Credit Union celebrated its 25-year anniversary on Sept. 8, recalling its quarter century of helping one of the poorest corners of the U.S. to develop economically.

First Delta, which began as Quitman County in 1981 then became Quitman Tri-County after one merger and then First Delta in 2004 after yet another merger. "It was Rev. Carl Brown's idea in 1979 to start a credit union since he had been a part of one in Los Angeles and gave witness to the many benefits of having a credit union in this community," said State Senator Robert L. Jackson, CEO of First Delta. "Working with Rev. Carl Brown, I got the sense that anything that you wanted could be accomplished if you put your mind to it and did the things necessary to make it happen." Jackson described how, on Aug. 13, 1981, the work and planning with a local organizing committee, had finally paid off: "We opened the doors of the credit union on September 10, 1981 in the rear of Valley Queen M.B. Church, Marks, Mississippi, located just down the street from our present location," he said. Jackson, who has been the CU's treasurer since its inception, took pride in the CUs 5,450 members, five branch locations, and over $7 million in total assets.

"We have made over 13,500 loans totaling over $25,000,000 over the past 24 years," he added.