Volunteer organizations

Members of both political parties from throughout Central Illinois are invited to participate in a new Peoria-based chapter of a national bipartisan organization that aims to ease growing tensions between Republicans and Democrats.

Mark Rein will lead a group of 15 volunteers from the Peoria area and elsewhere departing Friday on a second humanitarian mission to the west-central city of Ternopil in war-stricken Ukraine.

Volunteer organizations around Illinois will be getting more than $15 million in federal grant money. U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin of…