And it’s growing fast – since its beta launch in September 2013, membership has doubled, and the pair has just pulled down $228,000 in seed funding.

Plumwise is an online communtiy offering tools for harried parents to plan vacations, find care for their children and elderly relatives, and get an edge on handling other practical concerns. Free memberships are available by invitation and, for now, include access to premium concierge service. Plumwise is also seeking business partners, but all recommendations will continue to be aggressively vetted by its leadership. “We work tirelessly to recommend only the best, most trusted providers, without confusing or conflicting reviews,” said Buck in a statement.

The Plumwise braintrust keeps an eye on its own members’ activities to mine ideas for growth. “We’ve seen our members use the site in new and exciting ways in recent months,” said Buck in a statement. “We plan on using this injection of funding to increase the types of services we provide our members and businesses, while growing the number of providers and members.”

Along with its new financial strength, Plumwise has joined 1871, the local hub for tech entrepreneurship, to take advantage of the community that has formed around Chicago’s startup boom. As the generation largely responsible for that growth begins to plan for the future, it may find some new members there, too.

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