- 84% of hospitals in Alabama operate in the red.
- 42% of the state’s population lives in a rural area.
- 7% out of the state’s 67 counties don’t have a hospital.
ATLANTA, April 14, 2026 /3BL/ – In the midst of widespread funding shortfalls for most rural Alabama hospitals, Georgia-Pacific operations in Escambia and Monroe counties are helping hospitals there with a much-needed funding boost.
Georgia-Pacific’s Brewton Containerboard and Alabama River Cellulose facilities donated a total of $500,000 to three rural hospitals in Alabama. The funding will help local hospitals provide critical health services to the community.
Many U.S. hospitals in rural communities have been forced to cut or eliminate essential medical services due to financial strain. According to the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), more than 140 rural hospitals have closed in the past decade. The Alabama Hospital Association states that 84% of Alabama’s hospitals operate in the red, and nearly 90% of women living in rural areas are more than 30 minutes from a birthing center. Alabama’s Rural Hospital Investment Program (RHIP) tax credit is designed to address these challenges.
The Monroe County Hospital (MCH) in Monroeville, Ala., received $225,000. The D.W. McMillan Hospital in Brewton, Ala., received $225,000, and the Atmore Community Hospital in Atmore, Ala., received $50,000.
“Monroe County Hospital thanks Georgia-Pacific’s Alabama River Cellulose for their investment through the Rural Hospital Investment Program. Thanks to operations and tax-credit incentives, investments like this help strengthen our financial foundation, stabilize operations, and ensure we can continue providing critical healthcare services close to home,” said Laura Harris, MCH’s public relations director. “This support preserves access to care for our community while strengthening the infrastructure and workforce needed to serve Monroe County for years to come. We are grateful for Georgia-Pacific’s partnership in supporting rural healthcare.”
“Atmore Community Hospital is grateful for Georgia-Pacific’s support through the Rural Hospital Investment Program. The tax credit allocation comes at an important time and will help the hospital strengthen its financial stability and support critical operational needs,” said Drew Citrin, Atmore Community Hospital administrator. “This investment will make a meaningful difference in helping the hospital continue its mission of providing excellent care to patients close to home. We appreciate Georgia-Pacific’s commitment to rural healthcare and its investment in the future of our hospital and the community of Atmore.”
Atmore Community Hospital in Atmore, Ala., received $50,000 from Georgia-Pacific’s Brewton operations. A part of the community for more than 50 years, Atmore Community Hospital serves Atmore and the surrounding communities. The facility and its healthcare providers work to provide the community with safe, quality care that exceeds all expectations.
Stacey Hines, administrator for D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital, said, “We are incredibly grateful to Georgia-Pacific for their generous contribution through the Rural Hospital Investment Program. Their support is an investment not only in our hospital, but in the health and well-being of the entire community we serve. Their generosity helps us continue caring for our friends, neighbors, and families close to home, and partnerships like this strengthen not just our hospital, but our entire community.”
Georgia-Pacific’s Brewton operations donated $225,000 to D.W. McMillan Hospital in Brewton, Ala. The funding will help with the hospital’s mission to provide quality healthcare services while treating patients respectfully and with compassion.
Georgia-Pacific partners with the communities in which it operates to create long-term value and support initiatives that protect the community’s health and well-being.
“Supporting our local hospitals is an investment in the people and families who make our community strong, and strong communities start with access to quality healthcare,” explained Wes Greeson, vice president, Brewton Operations. “This donation underscores our values and our responsibility to support organizations that care for our neighbors when they need it most.”
“Georgia-Pacific pulp and paper mills primarily operate in rural settings, and Alabama River Cellulose is no exception,” said Jeff Vermilyea, vice president, Alabama River Cellulose. “We see our rural setting—especially the workforce that comes from it—as a key strength. Giving back to the area that’s given so much to us was an easy choice. This donation helps our local hospital, Monroe Co. Hospital, continue providing our community access reliable, high-quality healthcare locally.”
Georgia-Pacific is a leading employer in Alabama, creating a combined 12,000 direct and indirect jobs, and more than $760 million in wages and benefits. Over the past decade, the company has invested nearly $2.5 billion in its Alabama operations and recently announced an additional investment of $800 million in the Alabama River Cellulose operation.
Learn more about our stewardship initiatives here.
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