In Pittsfield, Mass., which has struggled economically since the departure of General Electric in the early 1990s, the power of feedback is evident at “Working Cities Wednesdays.”

There, Habitat for Humanity brings organizations together to engage and empower residents, bringing their voice to civic issues and creating change. Kate Lauzon came to Pittsfield focused on her own recovery from addiction and with the hope of regaining custody of her children. Through "Working Cities Wednesdays," Lauzon has become an activist who serves on a mayoral commission and plays a vital role working on the city’s transportation issues.

"Working Cities serves as a connector, it allows people to feel empowered. It's important to elevate the voices of the community because they're the ones that live here. And so you want to make sure that people who live in a community feel welcomed. That's a very primal need," said  Roberta McCulloch-Dews, Director of  Administrative Services at the City of Pittsfield.

Read the full video about feedback from the Stanford Social Innovation Review.