What is the COPO?

The Community Outreach Program Office, or COPO, is a place to serve everyone in our broad and diverse community of tribal and non-tribal folks living in Grand Caillou, Dulac, and Chauvin, including those who have had to move away over the years. The COPO was created and is run by the tribal leadership of the Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw. Our goal is to provide as many tools and services as possible to meet the diverse needs of our community, fostering inclusivity and ensuring that everyone feels welcome and supported.

Our Values

In addition to offering resources, we strive to build connections, encourage collaboration, and promote a sense of unity across all groups within our community. By creating a space where people can come together, access assistance, and share knowledge, we hope to empower individuals and strengthen the bonds that hold our community together.

Our Programs

Under construction! Click here to tell us what kinds of services and programs you want us to create! 

Story of the COPO

We purchased a community home that became the COPO from an elder after Hurricane Ida. The elder had originally bought the home with plans to repair it and retire, but realizing the challenges they decided to sell. They offered it to us in good faith, and with respect, we accepted it. Opportunities like this—deals born of necessity during or after disasters—are familiar to us. But this one was different; it was genuine and full of potential.

Our vision for the home was simple but meaningful. We wanted to transform it into a community space, a place where our community could access resources and support, especially during times of crisis. But it was more than that. It would also serve as our tribe’s first central office—something we’d never had before. The journey to get our building up and running was far from easy. Despite challenges, we continued to move forward, determined to see our vision become a reality. Creating the COPO has been a lesson in resilience and the importance of perseverance—for our elders, for our youth, and for the future of our community.

With the help of amazing support from the Climigration Network’s Next Step Cohort program, the American Red Cross, Lowlander Center, Freedom Futures, and the First People’s Conservation Council of Louisiana, we secured funding to turn a damaged community home, with its missing walls and half-torn off roof, into a beautiful, functional commercial building. Today, it stands as a place where our tribe gathers for meetings and events, and where our community finds refuge before, during, and after disasters. The building truly became a lifeline after Hurricane Francine. We helped families complete FEMA applications, distribute food, and provided supplies. 

Through the COPO, we’re not only creating a valuable resource for our community—we are building strong, lasting relationships with incredible people. It’s been a reminder that when passionate folks come together with a shared purpose, there’s no limit to what can be achieved.