The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Commemorates Rwanda’s Annual Gorilla Naming Ceremony With A Limited Edition T-Shirt.

Filanthropists.com, an online shopping mall offering “cause products,” announced today that Filanthropists.com and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, an organization dedicated to the study and protection of the endangered mountain gorilla, have developed a limited edition T-Shirt to commemorate Rwanda’s annual gorilla naming ceremony.  The T-Shirt is the inaugural product from Filanthropists.com’s product development arm, a service that assists nonprofit organizations in bringing their “cause product” ideas to market.

Filomena Laforgia, Filanthropists.com Founder/CEO, said: “The gorilla naming ceremony is borrowed from the centuries old Rwandan tradition of Kwita Izina (the literal translation meaning “to give a name”) of naming a newborn baby.  While the ceremony is a celebration of life, it also underscores the fact that the mountain gorilla is on the endangered species list and that with mankind’s help, each successive new generation helps pull them further back from the brink of extinction.”

This limited edition T-shirt features a graphic image on the front and the names of the newborn baby gorillas on the back.  The T-shirt is available in S, M, L, and XL sizes.  Twenty dollars from the sale of each t-shirt will go to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.  Pre-orders are now being taken in advance of the June 24, 2011 release date. The names of the newborn baby gorillas will not be released until the day of the ceremony.

Ms. Laforgia, continues, “Bringing ‘cause products’ to market is a part of Filanthropists.com’s DNA.  The infrastructure for product development is part of our original foundation, but it was set aside when the company evolved to its current form.  When the opportunity to develop the T-shirt for Dian Fossey’s organization presented itself, I felt the time was right to present it as a core service offering.  I’m honored that the “Kwita Izina T-Shirt” will be the first of what I believe will be many products from Filanthropists.com’s product development service.”

About Filanthropists.com:

Filanthropists.com is an online shopping mall that serves as the voice in the marketplace for nonprofit organizations, independent vendors, and corporations who engage in e-commerce fundraising through the sale of “cause products.”  A “cause product” is defined as: “The sale of a product from which a portion of the proceeds is donated to charity.” Filanthropists.com hosts a diverse variety of organizations benefiting charities and causes that include autism research, cancer research, HIV/AIDS research, humanitarian concerns, wildlife preservation, and environmental conservation.