Awards Debbie Reynolds Honored with Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at 88th Annual Academy Awards The Hollywood icon took home the Oscar for her efforts and founding of the Thalians charity organization By Blake Bakkila and Rose Minutaglio Published on February 28, 2016 11:15 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Debbie Reynolds stole moviegoers’ hearts with her 1952 performance in Singin’ in the Rain. More than 60 years later, the Academy has honored her with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg introduced the recipient during Sunday’s telecast. At the November event, Meryl Streep said she was “proud and deeply honored” to present Reynolds with the esteemed award. Actress Jane Fonda also spoke to the star’s enormous impact, saying, “Debbie for everything you are and everything that you’ve done, thank you!” • Check out PEOPLE’s full Academy Awards 2016 coverage and complete winners list! Reynolds could not attend the Governors Awards ceremony last November due to health reasons, and her granddaughter Billie Lourd, accepted the award for her “heartbroken” grandmother. The award is “given to an individual in the motion picture arts and sciences whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry,” according to the Academy Awards website. In a press release, the Academy announced Reynolds’ first Oscar win (she was nominated for Best Actress in 1965 for The Unsinkable Molly Brown), earned because of her work as a founding member of the Thalians. Reynolds, 83, and other Hollywood entertainers started the organization to combat and increase awareness about mental health. The group’s efforts have raised millions of dollars. The 88th annual Awards, hosted by Chris Rock, are being presented live on ABC from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California.