The United Way of Douglas County met its fundraising goal of $1,700,000 for the 2011-2012 campaign.

The group had its annual meeting Thursday at Maceli’s, 1031 N.H., where President Peter Luckey recognized community groups that gave to the organization and announced its 2012 and 2013 community goals.

Highlights of the campaign included a combined corporate and employee gift of more than $100,000 from Hallmark Cards and an anonymous donor, campaign director Colleen Gregoire said. Seven of 13 Douglas County divisions — those representing Baldwin City, Douglas County management, Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lecompton, area professionals, small business and Kansas University — exceeded their fundraising goal or raised more than they did last year. KU givers also increased their donation participation from 13 percent to 19 percent and raised $22,000 more than their goal.

Leadership givers, those who give $750 or more annually, gave more than $650,000, or 38 percent of the total raised.

The allocation process for the $1,700,000 raised is going on now and will conclude next month, Gregoire said. United Way raises money for area human services groups.

At the meeting, new board members were announced and officially elected. They include Dennis Anderson, who is managing editor of the Lawrence Journal-World, Marsha Buhler, Marguerite Carlson and Omofolabo Ajayi-Soyinka. The president-elect for the 2012-2013 campaign year is Bryan Culver; the vice-president-elect is Amy Kelly; and the secretary-elect is Beth Stella.

Luckey announced that the United Way’s community goals for 2012 and 2013 are improving education, self-sufficiency and health in Douglas County. He stressed the importance education has in improving lives and leading people out of poverty. Funding for programs under the education goal will begin this year while plans for improving self-sufficiency are being developed. Under the larger goal of self-sufficiency, the United Way, according to a media release about its goals, plans to work with its community partners to identify programs that help individuals and families have:

• Access to food, shelter and income support

• Access to employment

• Access to affordable housing

• Financial literacy

The health goals will be the focus in 2013, though many of the county’s human services groups are already working together to improve efficiency for clients in this area, Gregoire said.