The Estate of Dick and Gail Jauron, of Swampscott, has gifted $2.2 million to Northeast Arc to create and sustain the Dick Jauron Director for Sports and Recreation position.

Each year, Northeast Arc supports thousands of individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families across nearly 200 Massachusetts communities. The gift is the largest Northeast Arc has received in its 72-year history. The funds will become part of Northeast Arc’s Fund for Our Future.

“This gift ensures the long-term accessibility of Northeast Arc’s Special Olympics and social programs that promote a healthy lifestyle for kids and adults with disabilities,” said Jo Ann Simons, President and CEO of Northeast Arc. “People with disabilities have the poorest health status of any population, and this record-breaking gift gives us a powerful tool to promote wellness and inclusion.” 

In addition to family resources and personal support services, Northeast Arc offers recreational programs for individuals of all ages. Programs run weekly and seasonally and include health and wellness activities; arts and crafts; cooking; bowling; Saturday outings; and participation in Special Olympics Massachusetts.

Jauron was born in Peoria, Illinois, and later moved to Lynn with his family. He attended Swampscott High School, where he was an honors student and a letterman in football, basketball, and baseball. Parade named Jauron an All-American during his senior year, and The Boston Globe recognized him as one of the top 10 all-time Massachusetts high school football players.

He went on to Yale University, where he received the Asa S. Bushnell Award as the Ivy League’s top football player. He also earned the Bulger Lowe Award, given to New England’s most outstanding college football player. Jauron was a three-time first-team All-American and a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete. He was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

After graduation, Jauron was selected in the fourth round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. That same year, he was drafted in the 25th round as a shortstop by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Jauron chose football, starting as a free safety for the Lions. In his second season, he was named to the 1975 Pro Bowl after leading the NFC in punt return average. He played for the Lions for five seasons and the Cincinnati Bengals for three.

“The thing about Dick as a player, people talk about how talented he was, and he certainly was that but the thing that always stuck out to me was that…he was such a team player, and he was all about effort and sportsmanship and support his teammates,” said his brother Bob Jauron previously told the Swampscott Tides. “He always gave 100%. He always gave maximum effort, but he was always a teammate.”

Jauron went on to coach in the NFL, beginning with the Buffalo Bills in 1985. He became the 12th head coach of the Chicago Bears, where he spent five seasons, compiling a 35–45 record and one playoff appearance. He led the Bears from a last-place finish in the NFC Central to a 13–3 season in 2001. That year, he was named AP Coach of the Year after becoming the third coach in franchise history to record at least 13 wins in a season.

Jauron also coached for the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, and Cleveland Browns.

This past fall, the Swampscott Big Blue Youth Football program honored Jauron with a special helmet sticker reading “DJ #40.”

Like her husband, Gail Jauron was both scholarly and athletic, earning a PhD in philosophy from Harvard University and excelling in sports including golf, tennis, and water skiing.

“My parents lived incredible lives of accomplishment but would want to be most remembered as good and honorable people who did their best to love and support family and friends. Throughout their lives they set an incredible example, giving both their time and money to support important causes,” said their daughter Kacy Jauron. “It means so much to our family that this gift will help so many people feel more included in their communities.”

After Dick Jauron’s retirement from the NFL, he and Gail spent their final years in Swampscott. Kacy later relocated to the town and was previously part of Northeast Arc’s development team.

The family’s philanthropic efforts increasingly emphasized inclusion for athletes of all abilities, building on Gail’s academic research into the treatment of individuals with disabilities.

“My brother and his wife Gail were remarkable people who were deeply committed to community,” said Bob Jauron. “We are very pleased that this gift serves as a legacy reflecting that commitment.”