When was Happy Hippie founded? Miley Cyrus talks about how her mission for the nonprofit has evolved over time

Miley Cyrus recently appeared on the cover of W Magazine’s Pop Issue for June 2024. In her interview with the publication, she spoke at length about Happy Hippie, a nonprofit that the singer started in September 2014 with the idea of helping homeless youth and the LGBTQ+ community.

In the interview published on June 3, 2024, Cyrus spoke about Happy Hippie, and how she is renaming it to the Miley Cyrus Foundation. The Angels Like You singer said:

“Happy Hippie speaks to my fans at the age I was when it launched—18, 19, 20, 21. But now I am renaming it the Miley Cyrus Foundation so the platform can facilitate more adult conversations. It’s not that Happy Hippie is over; it is just kind of growing up. Actually, the Miley Cyrus Foundation is the mother to Happy Hippie.”

As per Variety, Miley was deeply impacted by the death of Leelah Alcorn, a transgender person who passed away due to suicide. Hence, when she started her non-profit, Happy Hippie, she actively started working with transgender and other members of the LGBTQ+ community and helped them with medical care and housing.

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“I’m calling it the ‘mother foundation’”- Miley Cyrus talks about Happy Hippie and wanting to change the name of the organization to honor mothers

As Miley spoke to W Magazine about her non-profit, she also stated that she wishes to call it the “Mother Foundation,” as she exclaimed how with the word “mother,” one can talk about the “planet, agriculture, medicine, injustices, reproductive care.” Cyrus said:

“I’m calling it the “mother foundation.” Working with Happy Hippie so closely, I’ve seen how these houses, especially in ballroom culture, have taken the word “mother” and created different families. So, celebrating and honoring the legacy of incredible ­mothers, whether it’s Ms. Tina or Mama Tish, is really the mission of the Miley Cyrus Foundation.

She continued:

With the word “mother,” we can talk about the planet, we can talk about agriculture, we can talk about medicine, we can talk about injustices, reproductive care.”

On the other hand, Happy Hippie’s website also talks about their mission, and Hippie’s goal to “be happy by making others happy.” The website states:

“We know that the people sleeping on the sidewalk could have been us or our closest friends if our lives were just a little bit different. And the people we see sleeping on the sidewalk COULD be our friends if we gave them the chance. It’s time for us to speak up for the people in our streets, our cities, our world. The only way we can truly be happy is if we are making others happy!”

As per Variety, Miley Cyrus’ Happy Hippie donated more than 40,000 meals, and 40,000 pieces of underwear and socks to homeless kids in 2016. At the same time, the organization also formed support groups in 2017 to serve transgender and gender-expansive youth.

Miley Cyrus has also been seen performing at various events wearing her Happy Hippie white T-shirt.

The singer has also released a song, Inspired in 2017, during LGBT Pride Month to honor the people of the community. Furthermore, Cyrus is best known for her songs, See You Again, 7 Things, Party in the U.S.A., Wrecking Ball, Younger Now, and Flowers. She also recently collaborated with Beyoncé for the song II Most Wanted.