International Paper’s Vicksburg Mill recently donated $57,000 to 13 local charities and organizations. The company held a reception at John Houston’s Good Spirits and Fine Wines to celebrate the occasion Thursday, Oct. 17.

Mill Manager Oren Ruth spoke at the event.

“Through our foundation, Vicksburg Mill is putting $57,000 into our community to address hunger, education, homelessness, and mental health challenges,” Ruth said. “The 13 agencies here this evening perform essential services to the community. Their work helps not only our neighbors, but also us.”

Ruth also mentioned that the mill has been involved in community support for almost six decades. The organizations and their donated amounts are as follows:

• Lifting Lives Ministries received $4,000.
• United Way of West Central Mississippi received $6,000.
• Warren Yazoo Mental Health received $6,000.
• The Mississippi Forestry Foundation received $2,500.
• Storehouse Community Food Pantry received $5,000.
• River City Rescue Mission received $5,000.
• Grace Christian Counseling Center received $4,000.
• Canopy Children’s Solutions received $2,500.
• Triumph Ministries received $5,000.
• The Salvation Army received $6,000.
• The Exchange Club’s Vicksburg CAP Center received $5,000.
• The Mississippi Children’s Museum received $3,000.
• The 456 Robotics Team received $3,000.

“We love to partner with the communities. We take safety and ethics very seriously, but we also take our stewardship principles very, very seriously as well,” Ruth said. “And so our goal was to find organizations that partner up with our youth, that partner up with planting seeds in the community, whether it’s mental health, whether it’s hunger, whether it’s education, things that are very valuable.”