Amy White – Executive Director
Amy.White@cohmin.orgA graduate of Garner Magnet High School and Wake Forest University, Amy White currently serves as the Executive Director of Community of Hope Ministries. 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 served 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 eight 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, and the Garden of Hope.
She currently serves 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 Partnership for Educational Success, the Wake County Community Foundation and the YMCA Capital Steering Committee for Garner.
In 2009, she was selected as one of several outstanding business women featured in Triangle East Magazine and was recognized as the October 14th, 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. In June of 2016, Amy was appointed by Governor Pat McCrory to serve on the State Board of Education. She will serve a 7 year term.
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 a commercial real estate broker and developer. They have two sons, Tyler, a recent graduate of Clemson University and Bryson who is a sophomore at 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.
