Adoption
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An Israeli company has launched a program to help adopted Amerian children reunite with their birth families.

MyHeritage Ltd, an online genealogy company, announced the launch of DNA Quest last week, an initiative to assist children who were adopted find their biological family and to help people with family members who were given up for adoption find their lost relatives.

The program currently only covers adoptions which occurred in the US. MyHeritage announced that it would provide 15,000 free DNA tests to participants, with priority given to those who cannot afford a DNA test.

MyHeritage was established in 2003 by Israeli CEO Gilad Japhet to enable users to create family trees and trace their family history using detailed historical records and cross-referencing with other family trees. In 2016, the company launched a genetic testing service which provided home kits with cheek swabs for the cost of $100.

The latest initiative spun out of a project MyHeritage has run since 2016 to reunite Yemenite children who were adopted in the 1950s with their biological families in Israel.

“We have a company culture of using our resources and technology for the greater good,” Japhet in a statement. “In this spirit, we’ve initiated several significant pro bono projects, such as returning looted assets from World War II to their rightful owners and documenting family histories and traditions of tribal peoples who lack access to modern technology. DNA Quest is a natural extension of these efforts.”

Applications to participate in DNA Quest can be submitted until April 30. Participants are expected to receive the results of the DNA tests in July.