Hashavas Aveida: Camps
Question
We run a camp for teenagers a few times a year. After every camp there are always many items of clothing or lost property that we try to return. We take pictures of all lost items and post to a parents message group and have several hours on consecutive Sundays for them to collect their items or look for lost items. Have we fulfilled our obligation of hashovas aveidah according to Halacha and what should be done with unclaimed items ?
Answer
Shalom!
Thank you for your question.
Everything you already do is great. Yes, this fulfills the mitzva of hashavas aveida. You can then dispose of the clothes/give away as you see fit, since you let them know and they didn't claim we can assume that they were mafkir it.
We would further suggest a disclaimer on camp documentation that says something like “All clothing left unclaimed and uncollected by DATE will disposed of or given away.”
Source
CM 267, 319