Who we are

Pasta. Care. Community

Smile And Make Pasta is a RUNTS registered Social Promotion Association dedicated to creating happy moments through fresh pasta workshops in pediatric cancer wards in Italy and beyond.

Our name, translated Smile and Make Pasta, reflects our commitment to inspire children to strive, grow and become strong, just like the pasta they create with their own hands.

In our workshops, children - together with volunteers, educators and family members - play, create, tell stories, smile.
It is our special form of pasta therapy, based on manual skills, creativity and sharing.

Our Mission.

We want to fill the home gap experienced by children in hospital wards by offering them the joy of learning to make dough. This magical art not only entertains them, but also improves their manual skills and helps them grow in harmony with others.

Pasta is magic 

The magical art of turning flour and water into maccaroni, butterflies, cavatelli, besides being a very fun game for young children, helps them improve manual dexterity and grow in tune with others. That is why it is important to pass on the knowledge of this art by involving children in the kitchen, just like when our grandmothers did it with us using simple methods.

How did the project come about?

Today's story stems from a young woman's desire to give back what life
had given her at a time of great difficulty. It is the story of Alessandra , who decided to bring cheer, and a bit of healthy mayhem, among the children hospitalized in the same pediatric oncology ward at the National Cancer Institute in Milan that had seen her in care when she was only 10 years old.

Alessandra Lauria - Founder

"I know what it's like to be there. I know how much of a difference even one moment when you feel heard and free to be a child can make. ".

During her workshops, Alessandra discovers that pasta is much more than a food: it is a creative, relational and therapeutic tool.
She then decides to take it where it is most needed: to children's hospitals.
Thus was born Smile and Make Pasta, a project made up of hands dirty with flour, eyes that glow and hearts connected.

Our volunteers

Our team consists of Alessandra who pretty much has her hands in overall coordination, outside professionals with whom she collaborates, pasta makers who specialize in fresh pasta, and a group of volunteers who continue to grow.


  • Founder

    It all starts with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.


  • Design director

    It all starts with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.