The city of Portsmouth in Virginia witnessed a heartwarming gesture from Grammy-winning rapper Missy Elliott on October 17.
Back in 2022, Gov. Glenn Youngkin first recognized October 17 as Missy Elliott Day in Virginia. The inaugural day included a renaming ceremony and parade to rename McLean Street to Missy Elliott Boulevard.
And to celebrate the second Missy Elliott Day, the rapper announced a generous donation of $50,000 to the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority, reports WAVY. The contribution is aimed at assisting families who are confronting the threat of eviction.
Missy Elliott’s mother, Patricia Elliott, shared a story during the event of their family’s financial challenges ahead of Missy’s success as an entertainer.
“On behalf of the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority, our board of commissioners, our staff and most importantly our residents, we want to thank you for your generous donation,” said Alisa Winston, executive director of the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority. “This will help 26 of our families who are past due on their rent remain in their homes.”
Elliot said it was important for her to be ablate give back to her community after having to deal with financial struggles of her own.
“For me, who has been in a situation like that with my mother, a single mother, that’s what made it important,” Elliott said. “I felt like I could relate to being in a place where you don’t know where you are going next.
“I wanted to give back and that be the celebration of Missy Elliott Day just to show I love everyone here. I love my city,” Elliott added.
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