The Polyphonic Spree are trying to help out some of the refugees and migrants athe U.S. border near McAllen, Texas, with a pair of benefits they're calling #CareForTheCaravan. The band will take the stage on on May 18 at Dallas' Granada Theatre alongside Cure for Paranoia, Tiarra Girls and the Cry Havoc Theater Company.
Working with Buffalo Tree Presents, the event will double as a donation drive, with organizers asking attendees and others looking to help to donate money and/or new toiletries (deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products, etc.), shoes for men women, children and infants, clothes for children and adults of all sizes, baby supplies, gift cards to purchase food, resealable plastic bags and phone cards.
Proceeds from ticket sales at the Granada event will go to purchasing more supplies for migrants; $15 tickets can be purchased here. A second event is slated for May 19 at the Still Austin Whiskey Co. in Austin, Texas, hosted by author/reporter Olga Campos Benz, with a performance from Tiarra Girls. In addition to collecting essential items, Austin Whiskey Co. has pledged to donate 10% of the event's sales to the cause. Anyone interested in helping can also make donations via PayPal here. Voter registration will also be available at both events.
The #CareForTheCaravan truck will drive to McAllen, Texas, on May 20 to spend the day volunteering and helping to distribute items to those in need. Graphic artist John Van Hamersveld (The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour) created the custom Statue of Liberty image for the event. The commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently said that the U.S. immigration enfocement system at the nation's southern border has reached a "breaking point" as thousands of migrants attempt to enter the U.S. daily at official crossings seeking asylum, as well as illegally, with many claiming that they are fleeing dangerous situations in their native countries.