Peace in Pickleball

Hello, We are Peace in Pickleball, an established 501c3 dedicated to donating pickleball equipment to international communities for the purpose of providing the natives with an opportunity to know this incredible sport. Born in 2022, and with the support of many many amazing people, we have donated materials that have contributed to teaching more than 5,000 people the sport of pickleball, in 4 different countries thus far.

Recently, we were gifted with an incredibly generous donation of equipment from One Shot Pickleball that allowed us to shift our focus from raising materials to raising money. Later this month we are headed back to Guatemala and Panama to deliver 10 more programs, connect with new volunteer teachers, and deliver the wheelchair we promised Luis back in April. When we met Luis one of the wheels on his chair was shimmying. He's not big into handouts but the things he's doing for his community are remarkable, and his attitude is up there with unbelievable. His story is below:

Hi, my name is Luis Castillo, and I’m 25 years old. On November 4, 2021, I picked up a pickleball paddle for the very first time—and that day changed the course of my life forever.

Pickleball helped me break free from the mental walls I had built around myself. Living with a disability, I once believed I wasn't good enough, that I couldn’t keep up, that this sport wasn’t meant for someone like me. But something inside me said, “Try anyway.” So I did.

Since then, I’ve discovered something powerful: Limitations exist only in the mind.

With faith in God, self-love, hard work, and a never-quit attitude, I’ve grown into a player who not only competes—but inspires. Pickleball has become more than a sport to me. It’s become a platform, a second chance, and a message: A disability is not a barrier. It’s not your limit. And it will never define your potential.

I am training to compete in major leagues like the PPA Tour and eventually represent adaptive athletes on the biggest pickleball stages. I want to show the world that people with disabilities cannot only participate—but excel, inspire, and lead.

This isn’t just my dream. It’s a message I want to carry for anyone who has ever doubted themselves.

With deep gratitude and unstoppable faith,

Luis Castillo

How You Can Help:

Whether you give $1, $5 or $500, your support is fuel and inspiration. It helps us move closer to providing community, bridging the plethora of societal gaps that plague every community, inspiring people of every race, age, gender, ethnicity, religion, body-type, and ability to engage and spend healthy time together, on and off the court.

If you can't donate money, please consider sharing our story or collecting materials for us. Every dollar and paddle goes further than you can imagine.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU TIME AND ATTENTION TO OUR CAUSE!

Your donations will go directly toward helping us:

* Cover the expense and delivery of Luis's new wheelchair, which we are personally delivering to Panama Aug 8, 2025.

* Pay for the cost to pave the pathway to Luis's residence (which he has never once complained about or asked for but just imagine how he could use his incredible energy if the daily tasks became simpler)

* Cover travel expenses, mainly baggage fees on the equipment for our trips. This year (2025, as of July 5) we still have five trips to go: Guatemala, Panama, Greece, Cuba, and Mexico. Next year we will connect with Peru and the Dominican Republic.

* Continue inspiring others through this journey! We are just getting started. Our scope changes everyday and we are working every angle to create opportunities.