It’s a beloved treat that comes around just once a year. It has developed a cult-like following, inspiring websites, story lines in popular TV shows, and even a shake-tracking app. But what many people don’t know is that this minty green drink has helped provide comfort for thousands of families when they needed it most. In fact, the Shamrock Shake has even played a role in the naming of the very first Ronald McDonald House.

In the early 70s, the idea of supporting families whose children were in the hospital was initiated by Fred Hill, a Philadelphia Eagles player, whose daughter had leukemia. Following many nights of witnessing families sleeping on waiting room couches and eating from vending machines, Hill and his wife realized families needed a place to stay. 

Knowing there had to be a solution; the Hills got to work by rallying Fred’s football team for support. With the assistance of Jim Murray, General Manager of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Dr. Audrey Evans, head of pediatric oncology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the trio gained the support of the local McDonald’s owner/operators. The group agreed to assist in funding the project by donating all the proceeds from the region’s upcoming Shamrock Shake promotion. The one-week campaign raised enough funds to help buy a four-story, seven-bedroom house near the hospital. This House was aptly named the Ronald McDonald House and it was the first of the more than 380 around the world today.  

This iconic shake serves as the cornerstone of a five-decade relationship between the Charity and McDonald’s – one that continues today. From February 10 to March 23, 2025, McDonald’s restaurants in the Pittsburgh and Morgantown areas will donate 25 cents from the sale of every Shake to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Pittsburgh and Morgantown, adding up to great support for families who are far from home during a medical crisis just as it did 50 years ago.

Photos and article information provided by Ronald McDonald Houses throughout the country.