The Kiwanis Club of Oxford raised $14,675 in its 15th annual holiday food drive that ended Nov. 1, surpassing its goal of $12,000.

The money raised will be used for Kroger gift cards that will be distributed to local families on the week of Nov. 14 through the Talawanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services (TOPSS). Bobbe Burke, the Kiwanis food drive coordinator, said that using gift cards instead of individual items helps those in need buy what makes the most impact on them.

“A turkey doesn’t mean a whole lot to you if you live in a place where you don’t have an oven,” said Burke. “And a lot of people don’t.”

TOPSS executive director Sherry Martin said she was grateful for the efforts produced by the Kiwanis Club of Oxford.

“I am grateful to Kiwanis for taking on this huge project for us because it alleviates pressure on my end,” she said. “They have the schools involved and all these different clubs involved, they are pulling from all these different places.”