Amy White – Executive Director
Amy.White@cohmin.orgA graduate of Garner Magnet High School and Wake Forest University, Amy Bannister White
currently serves as the Executive Director of Community of Hope Ministries, a Christian, non-profit
organization serving the at-risk population in Southern Wake County. Her passion for children and for
families propelled her into the work of community service. She began her career in Winston Salem,
NC teaching high school economics, legal and political systems and coaching girl’s basketball at
North Forsyth High School. She was elected to represent District 2 on the Wake County School
Board of Education from 2001 – 2005. Amy worked in economic development and membership
recruitment for the Garner Chamber of Commerce from 2006 – 2010, where she is credited with
launching the Chamber’s Women in Business Leadership Luncheon series. In 2010 she began
working full time for the ministry that she founded, Community of Hope Ministries. Under Amy’s
leadership the ministry has grown from one, federally funded after school tutoring program for at-risk
elementary students to a self-sustaining non-profit, no longer dependent on federal funds operating
nine different ministries including: a summer camp, a track out program for year round students, a
food pantry, a Jobs for Life program, a Carpenter’s Hands ministry, a crisis assistance ministry, a
financial literacy program, and the Garden of Hope.
She has served on the Board of Directors for the Garner Chamber of Commerce and is a past Chair
of the Garner Educational Foundation. She has engaged and networked with county leaders while
serving on the boards of the Wake Education Partnership, the Wake County DHHS Partnership for
Educational Success, the Wake County Community Foundation and the YMCA Capital Steering
Committee for the Poole Family YMCA.
In 2009, she was selected as one of several outstanding business women featured in Triangle East
Magazine and was recognized as the October 14 th , 2012 News and Observer “Tarheel of the Week”.
Community of Hope Ministries was selected as the 2012 Garner Chamber of Commerce Summit
Award winner for Non-Profit Achievement. In 2013 she was appointed to serve on the NC
Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service. In Spring of 2014, 2015 and 2016 she
chaired the committee responsible for coordinating the Governor’s Medallion Reception for
Excellence in Community Service for the state of North Carolina. In June of 2016, Amy was appointed
by Governor Pat McCrory to serve on the State Board of Education. She is beginning her sixth year in
her 7-year term. In August 2018, Amy was honored with the James R. Stevens Distinguished Service
Award in Garner. In 2019, Community of Hope was recognized by the Garner Chamber of Commerce
with two awards for Outstanding Non-profit Achievement and Steady Growth. In the spring of 2020,
Amy was chosen by the US Department of Education to be a panelist at the President’s Opportunity
Now Summit in Charlotte, NC.
She enjoys singing in the sanctuary choir at First Baptist Church of Garner and in local talent shows.
She once had the privilege of singing the National Anthem for Elizabeth Dole. She is married to Kyle
White, also a graduate of Wake Forest University who is a commercial real estate broker and
developer. They have two sons, Tyler, a graduate of Clemson University and Bryson a graduate of
East Carolina University.
Nick Spindler – Director of Operations
Nick.Spindler@cohmin.orgA graduate of Fuquay-Varina High School and North Carolina State University, Nick Spindler currently serves as the Director of Operations of Community of Hope Ministries. His passion for working with children began in high school. He pursued and received his Bachelor of Social Work at NC State in 2006. From 2009 – 2015, he worked in youth programs for the YMCA of the Triangle. For 3 of those years, he was a Youth Director at the Poole Family YMCA. Before coming to Community of Hope Ministries in 2016, he taught 5th grade and physical education in a private school setting.
As the Director of Operations, Nick oversees the after school program, track out camp, summer camp, and food pantry. Under Nick’s leadership, Camp Good Hope has expanded to offer a track out camp for students on track 4 as well as a Future Leaders Camp (a leadership summer camp for rising 8th and 9th grade children).
Nick is responsible for overseeing all intake and distribution of food for our food pantry. To help facilitate this, he oversees and manages a team of over 85 monthly volunteers. Nick and our volunteers pick up food 6 days a week from 11 different restaurants, grocery stores, and agencies. He also plans and helps execute food drives with local organizations as well as ordering food from local grocery stores to help stock the shelves in the pantry. The Community of Hope food pantry is open twice a week and serves around 250 families per month. Nick, with the help of our volunteers, packs and makes sure each family goes home with a week’s worth of groceries.
Nick is married to Angela and they are the proud parents of Ezekiel and Addilyn.
