Hometown Hero: Missy Elliott Donates $50,000 To Families On The Verge Of Eviction

Missy Elliot has shown up in a big way for a community in need by donating $50,000 to families facing eviction.

According to The Virginian-Pilot, the Grammy-winning musician, with an estimated net worth of $50 million, gifted $50,000 to the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority (PRHA).

Alisa Winston, the director of PRHA in Missy’s hometown of Portsmouth, Va., expressed gratitude for the “Work It” rapper’s substantial donation, which will settle overdue rent for 26 families. The generous contribution coincided with the first anniversary of “Missy Elliott Day,” which is celebrated on Oct. 17. The rapper was also honored with a portion of Portsmouth’s McLean Street renamed Missy Elliott Boulevard.

While reflecting on receiving one of Portsmouth’s highest honors, the rapper shared that she had explored various ways to commemorate the significant milestone. But nothing felt quite as special as showing up in an impactful way.

“Instead of it being a celebration of Missy Elliott — you know, about me — I wanted to give back and let that be the celebration of Missy Elliott, just to show that I love everybody out here,” she said during a ceremony at Grove Church in Portsmouth, via People. “Just know that P-Town is with me no matter where I go.”

Missy’s mother, Patricia Elliott, also touched on her daughter’s charitable act following the ceremony.

“So when you give, you give because you remember those days when you didn’t have,” Elliott told The Virginian-Pilot. 

The generous gift is one of many extended by the “Lose It” rapper, who has supported numerous causes since the late 90s. Those efforts include medical research to combat HIV/AIDS, alongside initiatives educating youth on overcoming abuse.

In 1999, Missy launched a lipstick line, Misdemeanor Lipstick, with supermodel Iman. Profits from the product were donated to Break the Cycle, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating domestic violence in young individuals.

In the early 2000s, the rapper participated in promotional campaigns for HIV awareness. In 2005, Missy joined forces with Christina Aguilera and collaborated on the Viva Glam V Lipstick campaign for the MAC AIDS Fund. The partnership generated millions of dollars, and all proceeds contributed to medical research to alleviate HIV/AIDS.

In late 2022, Missy gifted $20,000 to fund a scholarship for the Atlanta Chapter of the National Hampton Alumni Association (NHAA) through her foundation, per a Hampton University news release.

“We have embarked on a 12-month effort to raise funds for students who are unable to get their tuition and other fees covered,” National NHAA president Willie Williams said in the press release. “We call it our Gap Funding scholarship. Without help from generous donors, our students would be unable to remain at Hampton and, therefore, in many cases, would be unable to complete their college education. We will be forever grateful to Ms. Elliott and her foundation for their support.”

With a longstanding history of championing the underdog, we’re intrigued by what Missy’s future humanitarian endeavors may hold. Judging by Missy’s past impact, we expect significant contributions in the years to come.

The author’s content and opinions have not been pre-reviewed, approved or endorsed by Discover.