Alt-rockers Switchfoot [ tickets ] are gearing up for their "2008 Up In Arms Tour," which will visit college towns across the eastern half of the US this spring and raise money for charity along the way.

The five-week trek, set to launch March 27 in San Antonio, TX, will also feature British indie-rock band Athlete. The itinerary is listed below.

The outing will benefit the non-profit organization To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), which helps those struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. Organization founder Jamie Tworkowski will speak to audiences before Switchfoot's set each night.

"The dialogue surrounding depression is such an important one," bassist Tim Foreman said in a statement. "It is huge for people to know that these are issues that are normal and OK to talk about. TWLOHA is breathing hope into lives once trapped by fear and doubts."

Switchfoot, which has straddled mainstream and Christian rock genres, has been involved in a number of humanitarian causes during its 10-year career. Last fall, the band's "Appetite for Construction Tour" raised more than $100,000 for Habitat For Humanity, according to a blog entry at its MySpace page.

The San Diego-based group continues to tour the world behind its sixth album, 2006's "Oh! Gravity," which reached No. 18 on The Billboard 200. The record recently got a boost from MTV, which chose the title track as the theme song for reality show "Life of Ryan," according to a press release.

"Oh! Gravity" follows Switchfoot's two previous major-label releases: 2005's gold-certified "Nothing Is Sound" and the band's 2003 breakthrough album, "The Beautiful Letdown," which went double-platinum on the strength of hit singles "Dare You to Move" and "Meant to Live."

Last year, the band severed its ties with Columbia Records and launched its own Lowercase People Records label.

"Our goal was to remove the corporate barrier between our audience and our songs," frontman Jon Foreman said in a posting at Switchfoot's YouTube page. "Since music plays such a crucial role of connecting people with important issues around the world, we wanted to be a part of a label that gives directly to social justice causes, one that is more eco-friendly."

He added that Switchfoot will delve into several diverse projects in the coming months, culminating in a new album that "will redefine who we are in a new independent era."