Conference planning is in full swing. Can you believe this will be our 57th year of conference? In April, we announced our early bird registration winners. The early bird winners were Matt Romo, Jamie Lange, Cathy Hensel & Madalyn Otto. They all received gift cards. It pays to get your registration submitted early. We appreciate it and all our members. We are very excited that due to basket sales at Conference we are able to provide 11 scholarships of $750. Scholarship winners are Zoe Gerdes, Evelynn Oestreich, Ella Rettman, Lainey Gill, Abby Gardner, Audrey Howell, Sophia Sheehan, Kealy Preble, Conner Johnson, Keaira Morris, Luke Gardner. DO NOT FORGET TO GET REGISTERED FOR OUR MAY 13th, Webex. On May 13th from 1-2:30pm MFWCAA will host a Webex with Dr. Jody Janati. This is free for all members. We know our jobs are stressful so join us for some helpful information from Dr. Jody Janati. Call for region reps! We have a mixture of in-person and virtual monthly meetings. It is a great opportunity to network with reps from throughout the whole state of MN and representatives from DHS/DCYF. Come join the fun we have open region representative spots for regions 1-Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau , 3-Aitkin, Bois Forte, Carlton, Cook, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis, 8-Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lower Sioux, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock 9- Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin, MN Prairie Alliance-Waseca Office, Nicollet, Sibley, Waseca, Watonwan, 10- Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, MN Prairie Alliance-Mantorville/Owatonna Offices, Mower, Olmsted, Prairie Island, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, Winona. Contact myself or any board member if you have any questions! Start getting your nominations ready to submit for MFWCAA’s 2026 financial worker/case aide award. Registration details will be out soon. Respectfully, Angella Blanshan MFWCAA President
Most people know MFWCAA for the annual conference, but the real value of membership happens all year long. With workloads growing, budgets tightening, and policy shifts happening nonstop, consistent support matters more than ever. Here’s a look at how MFWCAA works for you from January through December. 1. Training doesn’t stop after the conference. Teletrainings, regional sessions, and new recordings are added throughout the year. Members can log in anytime to catch up, rewind, and rewatch tough topics. 2. You get access to updated tools and policy resources. When a major change hits — whether it’s SNAP, METS, CCAP, or something else — members can check the site for updates and materials that help cut through confusion. 3. Regional support keeps you connected. Your Regional Rep is there when you need help, clarity, or a sounding board. Regional meetings offer a place to trade ideas and get real answers from people who understand the work. 4. Scholarships and awards recognize members and their families. Whether you’re pursuing your own education or have a family member heading to college, MFWCAA scholarships can help. Awards highlight the financial workers and case aides who make an impact every day — the ones who rarely get the spotlight but deserve it. 5. A growing Members Area with resources you can actually use The new site makes it easier to find: • meeting notes • teletraining recordings • policy materials • forms and documents • updates from across the state The goal is simple: give you what you need, when you need it. A community built around supporting each other This work can be heavy. It helps to have a place where people understand what you deal with — deadlines, complex cases, tight timelines, and the pressure to get things right for families who rely on you. MFWCAA is here to make the load a little lighter and give you real support all year, not just during the conference. If you’re a member, take a moment to explore all the resources waiting for you. If you’re not, it might be a good time to join.
Minnesota is a big state, and every county has its own way of working through challenges. That’s why MFWCAA has Regional Representatives — real people you can reach out to when you need help, advice, or a place to talk through something that’s giving you trouble. Many members don’t realize just how helpful their rep can be. So here’s a quick breakdown. Your rep is your go-to resource. Not sure where to find something? Need to confirm whether a policy update is being handled the same way in other counties? Want to know when the next regional meeting is? Your rep can point you in the right direction faster than digging through emails or searching old notes. They also help bring your voice forward. Regional feedback plays a big part in how MFWCAA plans training topics, conference sessions, and advocacy priorities. Reps pass along what’s happening in your county so the full board gets a clearer picture of what workers and case aides are dealing with day to day. Regional meetings = shared knowledge. Some of the best problem-solving happens in these sessions. Workers swap tips, talk through tricky policies, and find out what’s working well in other parts of the state. If you haven’t joined one yet, it’s worth trying at least once. Find your rep The new website has an updated list of Regional Representatives with contact info for each county. If you haven’t connected with yours yet, feel free to reach out — they’re genuinely here to help. Staying connected makes this work less stressful and a lot more manageable. Your rep is one of the easiest ways to build that connection.
Financial workers and case aides are the first line of support for families across Minnesota. Every day you’re helping people navigate SNAP, cash programs, child care assistance, health care coverage, and everything in between. With programs changing so often, it’s tough to feel fully prepared unless you have steady training you can trust. That’s one of the biggest reasons MFWCAA exists — to make sure you never feel like you’re figuring things out alone. Policies change fast. Good training keeps you steady. Rules shift. Forms update. Processes get rewritten. When you’re dealing with real families who need quick answers, you don’t have time to dig for clarity. Training sessions, teletrainings, and conference workshops help you stay ahead instead of scrambling after the fact. Harder cases deserve better tools. Many workers across the state say the toughest part of the job isn’t the volume — it’s the complexity. Mixed households, farm income, immigration status, health care coordination… these cases take time and confidence. Training gives you both. When you understand the “why” behind a policy, everything else gets easier. Training also builds community. You’re not the only one wrestling with tricky cases. When you join MFWCAA trainings or watch recordings, you get to hear how workers in other counties handle similar situations. That connection matters more than most people realize. Where to find upcoming sessions The new MFWCAA website makes it easier to see upcoming regional meetings, statewide trainings, and new additions to the Members Area. Members can log in anytime to watch recordings or check for updates. If you’re looking for ways to feel better equipped in your role, training is one of the best places to start — and we’re here to help you get what you need.
