ABOUT US Marise Elise Gouthier was born on September 19, 1997 at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, GA. She was only 22 weeks old and weighed barely one pound. After a battle for her very life that lasted for months, Marise was released into her mother's care on a fetal heart monitor and required oxygen. She had been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and a myriad of other medical impairments all due to her extreme prematurity. Since her birth, Marise has continued her valiant fight to become a part of the mainstream and eventually grow to be a useful member of society. Marise's mother, Katherine Phelps, is the CEO of Beautiful Media LLC, an Atlanta-based publishing concern www.beautimedia.com. In an effort to give back to community and humanity, together they formed the Marise Gouthier Foundation to serve as a conduit for fundraising geared towards various cause-related campaigns. The issues currently being addressed by the Foundation are World Hunger, Premature Birth and research for a cure for Cerebral Palsy and HIV. Even at her young age, Marise, along with her mother and the foundation advisory board hope to make the world a better place by taking many small miracles and turning them into big dreams. We invite you to join them in their quest! Even the smallest efforts when enacted collectively can yield big results. MISSION STATEMENT Hi, my name is Marise Gouthier and I am 10 years old. I live with my Mom in Sandy Springs, Georgia and I go to the 4th grade at Highpoint Elementary School. I guess besides my "disabilities" I am a pretty regular kid. There are some things I cannot do like jumping and riding a bike, so I have a good time reading books, paying Nintendo and watching movies. I have lots of friends (my Mommy is my best friend), and 2 cats, Sylvester and Bianca. My Mom says there is nothing that I can’t do if I really try! We started my foundation to help kids with different kinds of problems. There are lots of kids who really need our help. Did you know that way over half a million babies are born as preemies like me every year in the U.S. and we don't know why? There are lots of kids who are trying to live with Cerebral Palsy every day. Take it from me, it sure isn't easy some times. I think we should help them find a way to get better don't you? I know that lots of kids go to bed hungry at night and that isn't right either. Hundreds of children die from AIDS every day and we need to find a cure. I want to do all of these good things and make the world a better place. Mom says this is a mission. Will you help me with my mission?