Belzoni, Mississippi, a small town of 1,776 people in the heart of the Delta in Humphreys County, has a rich history and resilient spirit. It is approximately 75 miles northwest of Jackson, the state capital, and is located along the Yazoo River. Once known as the “Catfish Capital of the World,” it thrived on agriculture, catfish farming, and industry. But like many rural communities, Belzoni has faced hard times. After 9/11, economic challenges hit small towns across America, and Belzoni was no exception. Factories closed, businesses shut down, and families moved away, leaving the town to grapple with its future.

Today, Belzoni is embarking on a journey toward revitalization through a partnership with Communities Unlimited (CU). The town has entered a long-term engagement with CU’s Community Sustainability Team, which has a five-year plan for transformative change. This bold, strategic move involves multiple departments from CU and private philanthropy to tackle deep-rooted challenges. CU’s vision is to create a model for rural development where private philanthropy works closely with local communities. As CU CEO Ines Polonius explains, the goal is to move beyond traditional rural development efforts that often stall in the planning stages. The first step in the process was a community engagement meeting in September 2024, where Belzoni and Humphreys County residents identified key issues and needs to be addressed. CU values this community-led approach, working alongside residents to ensure local voices help guide solutions for lasting, meaningful change.

“I have a dream that the way we’re working here in Belzoni can be the future of rural development. It’s so embedded in community leadership, decision-making, and prioritization, and we’re bringing in the resources to make things happen.”

— Ines Polonius, Chief Executive Officer of Communities Unlimited

Mayor Joe Jackson, a lifelong resident, believes the town’s best days are still ahead. “When I was growing up, all the vacant buildings you see now were businesses,” Jackson said. “But if we give our best effort, we can make Belzoni better than it is now, maybe even as good as it once was.”

Belzoni is a close-knit community, which is both its strength and its challenge. Over the years, the town has lost infrastructure, healthcare, and economic opportunities that once made it a thriving center of the Delta.

Board of Aldermen member Michael Starks, who has lived in Belzoni for 63 years, recalls the town’s evolution. “At one time, Belzoni was a thriving town with industry,” Starks said. “We had a Jockey International t-shirt plant and several catfish factories. But over time, those factories closed, and the most devastating blow was losing our hospitals.” The absence of healthcare facilities has left a lasting impact. Starks reflects on lives that could have been saved if emergency care were available. The lack of young people in Belzoni is another pressing issue.

Steven Grisham, owner of Courtney’s Hardware & Appliances, notes, “Most people I graduated with have left. The older generation is dying, and there aren’t many young people coming in.”

Belzoni’s infrastructure is in dire need of repair, especially its roads. Larry Brown, a fire department official, highlights the problem. “The biggest problem we have right now is the roads,” Brown said. “They need to be repaired, especially when driving the fire truck. You can feel all the humps and bumps — it’s rough. Fixing the roads is the main thing we need.”

CU Community Facilitator Kelle Menogan Jr. shares a vision for more community-focused development, including the revitalization of baseball and football fields to give local youth a safe space for recreation.

The key to Belzoni’s future lies in engaging its residents in the revitalization process. CU, with the help of Menogan Jr. and Director of Community Sustainability Martha-Claire Bullen, is fostering this engagement. “We want it to be community-driven,” Menogan Jr. emphasized. “It’s important for everyone in Belzoni and Humphreys County to come out and be part of the process.”

In these community meetings, residents have voiced their concerns and hopes for the future. “Housing — affordable housing — is a big issue,” remarked Bullen. Entrepreneurship is another critical focus, as residents hope to see vacant buildings filled with new businesses. “We need more stores – another grocery store, more clothing stores, department stores,” said Chevalian Poose Williams, Deputy Clerk at the Humphreys County Circuit Clerk’s Office. “More businesses would be great for the community.”

Belzoni’s challenges are significant, but so is the potential for transformation. The partnership between CU and private philanthropy, which is working closely with the Belzoni Humphreys Development Foundation, is designed to ensure that investments stay local and benefit the community directly. This model of community-driven development, where local leaders and residents collaborate with external resources, could become a blueprint for other rural towns facing similar struggles.

The infusion of private philanthropy into Belzoni’s development is already making waves, with tangible projects underway. For instance, the community garden, which CU helped revitalize, now serves as both a source of fresh produce and a gathering space.

The addition of murals around town, along with the construction of walking trails, are small but meaningful steps in creating a more welcoming and livable community. But the vision for Belzoni extends far beyond gardens and murals. The community aspires to restore a sense of pride and prosperity.

“I’d love to see Belzoni become a vibrant, moving, shaking town again where people are excited to visit. We still have the Catfish Festival once a year, and it’s been good. But we need something here to make people want to stay.”

— Joe Jackson, Mayor of Belzoni

For residents like Emily Tillman Donovan, the president of the Belzoni Humphreys Development Foundation, the goal is clear: to create a future for the town’s children. “I believe that without children, there is no community, so I prioritize events and projects for them,” she said. Her dream of building a STEM center in Belzoni reflects a forward-thinking vision that seeks to equip the next generation with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world. “The Mississippi Delta doesn’t have anything like that, and I think it would help our children and the community,” Tillman Donovan noted. “We want to give kids access to opportunities and learning experiences right here in Belzoni because many can’t travel far to get those experiences.”

The next five years will be crucial for Belzoni. CU’s engagement, backed by private philanthropy, aims to build a sustainable, thriving community where people want to live, work, and raise families. “We want to bring this community back to life,” Menogan Jr. said.

As Starks put it, “The community is hopeful. They’re hoping we can improve life here in the city. They want to see progress and better opportunities for everyone.”

The potential for transformation in Belzoni is significant, and the seeds of change are already taking root. “We hope that in a year, we can come back and see progress,” Bullen said.

“If you want to make a transformational impact, you come to a place like Belzoni.”

— Ines Polonius