The MyHeritage company is making 15,000 DNA kits available at no cost. Yes, you read that right – FREE DNA tests for a limited time.
[contextly_sidebar id=”eZyzNwmtzUSMU8bRlT2VXBLdGVXP8JGi”]MyHeritage is offering free DNA kits to help reunite adoptees and birth families. The giveaway is open to adoptees seeking to find their biological family members, or anyone looking for a family member who was placed for adoption. People who cannot afford genetic testing will receive preference. The offer is limited to U.S. residents, involving adoptions that took place in the U.S.
Adoptees and family members can apply for a free MyHeritage DNA kit at DNAQuest.org through April 30, 2018. Participants will be selected, and their free DNA kits will be shipped to them by the end of May 2018. Check out the DNA Quest website for more details.
If you’ve already taken a DNA test with another company, you can upload their DNA data to MyHeritage for free and participate in this initiative.
According to MyHeritage, the DNA Quest initiative is an expansion of another pro bono project that reunited adoptees from the Israeli Yemenite community with their biological families. For that project, MyHeritage donated 1,200 DNA kits, provided professional and emotional support, and facilitated successful reunions between adoptees and their blood relatives.
Using a DNA test from Family Tree DNA, I confirmed that Michelle was indeed my half-sister. She and I had the same mother, different fathers. Ancestry’s DNA test helped me learn my biological father’s identity and locate Stephanie, who is my late father’s oldest daughter.
I love DNA tests. Unlike humans, DNA tests don’t lie, have memory lapses or stonewall us. They’re a great tool for adoptees who are searching for biological relatives.
What have you learned from using DNA tests?
It’s a good marketing tack and also a good community service. Thanks for helping to get the word out.
Thank you, Tom. Maybe this will prompt the other testing companies to follow suit. While the cost of these tests has come down a lot, it’s an expense not everyone can afford.
Lynne: Are you still pursuing the possibilities of more unknown relatives or do you feel like you have exhausted all of those options?
Hi Cara. I’m open to meeting new family members but not actively searching for anyone. I feel like I solved the mystery of my life. Thanks for posting a comment.