Missy Elliott has tapped into her charitable side and donated a sizeable sum to aid families who are on the verge of eviction in her hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia.
According to The Virginian-Pilot, the Grammy Award-winning musician gave $50,000 to the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority (PRHA) on Tuesday (October 17).
Alisa Winston, who serves as director of PRHA, said the five-figure donation will go toward paying off the past-due rent of 26 families.
Missy Elliott’s generous donation arrived on the one-year anniversary of her receiving a street and day named in her honor in Portsmouth.
During the ceremony, she said that she’d been brainstorming different ways to celebrate the monumental day.
“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. “Just know that P-Town is with me no matter where I go.”
“I love my city. I love my state. I love everything about it,” she added. “Everything about Missy comes from here — the hospitality, the humility, the confidence. If you mess with me, it’s a problem. We sweet, but don’t try us.”
Missy Elliott’s mother, Patricia Elliott, also spoke about her daughter’s charitable gesture after the ceremony.
“So when you give, you give because you remember those days when you didn’t have,” she said. “If each person would give when they get to the top, then, what a real beautiful world we would be in.”
Back in October 2022, the “Work It” hitmaker shared a photo on Instagram of her smiling ear-to-ear in a golden Versace outfit while holding a “Missy Elliott BLVD” street sign.
“ATTENTION MISSY ELLIOTT BLVD is on the Google Map #VA baybeeeeee#757 P-TOWN WAIT a WHOLE BLVD! God is good,” she wrote. “I am not perfect & I’ve had ups & downs when some doubted me & thought I would give up I PRAYED & got back up everytime. Hopefully this will INSPIRE some1 else to KEEP PUSHING!”
Missy was also honored with a key to the city of Portsmouth, officially renaming McLean Street to Missy Elliott Boulevard.
“I’ve rode down that boulevard so many times, so make sure y’all don’t get no misdemeanors on my street,” she joked at the ceremony. “I have always been told to dream big. I couldn’t have dreamed this big.
“Though I have accomplished many things, I have won many awards, but this trumps all when you get the love from your home.”