As part of the adoptee-proclaimed Adoptee Rights Awareness month, I launched an effort in November 2017 to collect funds to purchase DNA kits that could then be donated to adoptees who cannot otherwise afford a test kit. The amount collected to date is listed here and it is updated regularly, including disbursements from these funds. Donations are always accepted.
Priorities for Donated Kits (Please Read Carefully)
The following is the list of priorities for donating DNA test kits to adoptees whose adoptions were finalized in the United States, whether born domestically or internationally. While the priorities are generally listed in order of importance, priorities will be considered as a whole when making a decision to donate a DNA test kit. There may be exceptions, so please feel free to inquire about your circumstances and whether you could benefit from a donated DNA test kit. Please keep in mind that priorities may change at times due to input from the people most affected as well as changes in state laws and in other priorities.
- You. You are an adoptee or the son or daughter of an adoptee.
- Unaffordability. You cannot generally afford the cost of a DNA test kit, given your income and circumstances. Please note that we will not verify income. We trust that you are honest with us in your request for assistance. That’s how we roll, and we hope you roll that way too.
- Date of Birth: You must be an adoptee who is at least 18 years of age. For US-born adoptees, strong preference will be those who were born or adopted prior to 1980, with a further primary emphasis on adoptees born or adopted prior to 1970. A wider range of birth dates for intercountry adoptees, however, will apply.
- Birth Place
- Born in a restricted OBC rights state in the United States. This means that you were born in a state that does not allow an adult obtee to obtain an original birth certificate except by court order. A map of the 22 states that I categorize as restricted is here.
- Born in a compromised OBC rights state in the United States and you have applied for your original birth certificate and were either denied access to the OBC or were provided an OBC but birthparent identities were redacted, deleted, or in some way removed. A map of the 20 compromised OBC access states is here. States that are currently implementing new laws may prevent us from donating DNA kits at this time due to how those laws will likely impact access to an OBC.
- Born in another country and adopted in the United States.
- Critical or Terminal Illness. An adoptee who presently has a diagnosed critical or terminal illness, particularly one with a genetic component.
- Descendant. Are seeking an OBC for a deceased adopted parent who 1) if he/she were still alive, would meet one or more of the priorities listed above or 2) the law in the adoptee’s state of birth prohibits you from obtaining the adoptee’s original birth certificate.
- Lack an OBC. Do not already have a copy of an unredacted original birth certificate, either for you or for an adopted parent.
- Missing Information. While you may have obtained a copy of an OBC, a parent’s name or other identifying information was not included on the original document or registration, such as a birthfather’s name.
Donation Stats/Funds
Information on the funds and how they are being used have been moved to this page.
HUGE thanks to the following people who have donated since November 2017
Adoptee Support Advocates
Jenifer Bass*
Susan Campbell
Larry Clow
Amy Dalton
Nelle Doux
Equality4Adoptees
Kris Gilbert
Gladney Adoptees for Rights and Equality (GLARE)
Marley Greiner
Shea Grimm
Shawna Hodgson
Maeve Kelly
Michelle Leavitt
Gregory Luce*
TJ McHugh*
Eileen Mertens
Tim Monti-Wohlpart
Kent Parks
Cathi Swett
Mirren Thieding
Theresa Vitt
William Willis
Plus an additional nineteen donors who did not wish to be named. You all rock!
* indicates multiple donations