This winter, KeySpan helps out with heating bills
Since winter has finally arrived in earnest, Greater Boston residents on tight budgets once again have to contend with high heating costs . That's where KeySpan Foundation, the nonprofit arm of KeySpan Corp., the largest distributor of natural gas in the Northeast, comes in.
Last month, the foundation donated $150,000 to the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley's Special Fund to help pay for basic needs such as food, fuel, housing, and medicine.
It's the second year in the row that KeySpan has donated that much money.
Milton J. Little Jr., chief executive of the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, said, "Our region is one of the most expensive places to live in the country. By generously giving to the Special Fund, KeySpan Foundation has enabled us to help these people through times of unexpected financial need."
What do Morton's Steak House, the Boston Marathon, and ReadBoston have in common?
It starts with Scott Crain, general manager of Morton's in Boston. He's a voracious reader and so is his son, who is in kindergarten .
ReadBoston is the literacy program Mayor Thomas M. Menino started in 1995 to ensure that all Boston children can read at their grade level by the end of the third grade.
Crain began a series of programs to raise money for ReadBoston, including a benefit last November. The event brought in $25,000 for the program.
Crain also organized two book signings with local authors, one with Jeffrey Rosen that raised $1,500 and another with former General Electric Co. chairman Jack Welch and his wife, Suzy, that raised $5,000.
The general manager also ran his first Boston Marathon last year to benefit ReadBoston.
Morton's employee Kristann Carson joined him, and the two raised $7,500 for the organization.
This year, three employees of Morton's will join him on the run.
On March 30, Morton's will host its second annual Boston Marathon party -- a $35-a-head cocktail affair -- to benefit the charity.
E-mail items about philanthropy and charitable events to philanthropy@globe.com. 
