AUGUSTA – Business leaders and community activists Tuesday launched a three-year fundraising campaign to help needy Mainers pay their fuel bills and stay warm during the winter.

The “Keep ME Warm” campaign, co-chaired by TD Banknorth President David Ott and United Way President Meg Baxter, seeks to raise enough money to provide more than 500,000 gallons of fuel to families with limited incomes.

“The cost of heating one’s home through Maine’s coldest months continues to climb and, although Maine has programs to help some of those families who need assistance and the goal of helping all families who need it, there are still many who will struggle to stay warm this winter,” Ott said.

In addition to making corporate donations, many businesses are providing incentives to their employees to participate in “Keep ME Warm,” the announcement said.

The campaign is slated to run for the first quarter of the next three years.