Some accuse famous people — especially those honored at ceremonies like the Oscars — as being out of touch with struggling Americans. For Davis, however, it's her struggle that has made her the woman she is today. She may be an Academy Award winner, but she'll never forget what it was like to once go without — which is why she's an ambassador for initiative Hunger Is, an organization dedicated to building awareness and raising funds to eradicate childhood hunger. In September 2015, she spoke to AARP about her own experience with hunger, and why she chose this organization: "Most of the time, the school lunch was the only meal I had. I would befriend kids whose mothers cooked three meals a day and go to their homes when I could."