We are often reminded to count our blessings.

For me, one such moment came recently as I was riding in a taxicab. The driver was from Haiti, where just days earlier, as you know, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale had destroyed Port-au-Prince. The driver had learned that his mother and fiancée had survived without physical injuries, but that, sadly, two of his friends had lost young children. The fate of the rest of his family and friends were unknown to him.

“I can’t take any more bad news,” he said with a sadness that hung heavily between us.

As he held his phone close hoping for more information, he expressed his gratitude for everything the United States was doing to help. He told me he was thanking every person he could individually, and now I am spreading his thanks to you all.

In this issue’s Community section, NRN outlines some of the myriad fundraisers restaurateurs nationwide have undertaken to raise money for those digging out of the catastrophe and show support for colleagues and neighbors who are grappling with the tragedy from afar. As is typical, the restaurant industry has thrown its heart and soul into helping where help is needed.

Also in this issue we debut a new feature called Troubleshooting. Part of the Operations section, the feature is designed to delve into operational challenges that are common to all operators and suggest some solutions. Our first such article examines how to handle and stem problematic deliveries.

In addition, we are introducing Steve Rockwell, a longtime observer of restaurant money matters, as a new columnist in our Finance section. Rockwell, who has served as both a chief financial officer and an industry analyst, will share insights from both sides of the financial divide.

Another new NRN feature is In Their Own Words. Housed in the Community section, In Their Own Words is a compilation of thoughts from individual operators on topics that will change in each issue. In this issue, we asked operators from various industry segments to tell us what concepts and trends they are keeping their eyes on. The answers, while brief, allow readers to gauge trends influencing the industry as well as some of the operations that are worth noting.

And finally, I’d like to thank those of you who have written to point out longtime concepts that were absent from last month’s NRN 50 All-American Icons list. We are now discussing the best way to bring more of these stories exemplifying the American dream to you. Stay tuned.

Speaking of the American dream, my cab driver, a U.S. resident for 18 years, was grateful to have had the good fortune to live in a place where hard work had given him a chance to improve his life. Had he stayed in Haiti, that would not have been the case, he said. While he intended to travel to his native land to pitch in with the recovery efforts, he planned to return to America, a country that, despite its economic and political problems, still offers boundless opportunities.

That’s a blessing we all can count.