Meaningful gifts for the people who make a difference and a new way to help GGC reach more children
If you know Global Game Changers, you already know that we believe ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference. We see it in the educators who create caring classrooms, the families who encourage children to serve, the community members who show up for others, and the young people who discover that their own talents can become a force for good.
Now there is a new way to celebrate those people while helping more children discover their own power to make a difference. Meet Everyday Heroes, an ecommerce gift shop created to support the mission of Global Game Changers.
The Story Begins With GGC
The idea behind Everyday Heroes is rooted in the same experience that led to GGC. Our founder Jan Helson has been an entrepreneur throughout her life. After she and her husband spent more than 20 years building and operating their family business, Jan began asking why so many people entered the workforce without the human skills they needed to thrive: communication, problem-solving, leadership, teamwork, resilience, and confidence in their own potential.
Her search for an answer led her back to childhood. With the support of her family, she joined forces with her daughter, Rachel, and her niece, Anne, to create Global Game Changers in 2013. They shared a belief that these essential skills should not wait until young people are preparing for their first jobs. They should begin much earlier, while children are still learning who they are, what they care about, and how they can contribute.
For more than a decade, GGC has helped children build character, leadership, and practical life skills through engaging lessons and service. In 2026, the program is on track to reach more than 500,000 students nationwide, while remaining free to the teachers, schools, and districts that use it.
Building the Mission to Last
That growth has been possible because of generous and loyal supporters, including family foundations and the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation. Their investment helped GGC develop, test, evaluate, and expand a program that is making a meaningful difference for children.
As GGC grows, so does the responsibility to build a sustainable future for the mission. Grants and philanthropy remain important, but long-term strength also means developing sources of support that GGC can grow directly. Everyday Heroes is one of the first steps in that work, bringing our founder’s entrepreneurial experience back together with the mission she helped create.
What Is Everyday Heroes?
Everyday Heroes is an online shop featuring beautifully designed original artwork on mugs, journals, totes, and more.
- For educators. A thoughtful gift can recognize the teacher, counselor, coach, or school leader who sees a child’s potential and helps it grow.
- For family members. A meaningful design can celebrate the parent, grandparent, sibling, or caregiver whose steady love makes a difference every day.
- For community heroes. A gift can thank the volunteer, neighbor, mentor, or friend who gives their time, talent, and heart to others.
An Everyday Hero does not need a title or public recognition. It can be anyone who makes someone feel supported, encouraged, valued, or less alone. Whoever your Everyday Hero happens to be, the shop offers a way to tell them that their impact matters.
Every Purchase Supports Free Resources for Schools
Every purchase from Everyday Heroes directly supports the free GGC curriculum and resources provided to teachers and schools across the country. That means a gift chosen for one important person can also help students build confidence, strengthen leadership, practice empathy, and discover how they can contribute to their communities.
For the GGC community, this is another way to be part of the mission. Educators can continue accessing the program at no cost. Families, subscribers, viewers, and supporters can help sustain that access by shopping, sharing the store, or simply introducing Everyday Heroes to someone looking for a meaningful gift.
Two Brands With One Belief
GGC and Everyday Heroes are connected by a simple idea: people of every age have the ability to make a positive difference. GGC helps children discover how MY TALENT + MY HEART = MY SUPERPOWER!® Everyday Heroes celebrates the people who put their own talents and hearts to work for others every day.
Join the Everyday Heroes Journey
Everyday Heroes launched on June 16, 2026, and this is only the beginning. We hope you will explore the collection, share it with others, and keep it in mind the next time you want to recognize someone who makes a difference.
If there is a hero in your life, this one is for them.