Located in a historically African American neighborhood today, the church was originally constructed on land donated by Omaha real estate investor and banker Herman Kountze for his housing addition called Kountze Place.
[2] A high-end streetcar suburb, Kountze Place was an all-white enclave for more than 50 years. White flight in the neighborhood began in 1936 with the imposition of Home Owners Loan Corporation funds diverting money from a neighboring African American neighborhood called the Omaha. This mass exodus of parishioners from the surrounding neighborhood left Sacred Heart in a lurch, and the church became an open parish for members across the city.[3] Today, the parish and its elementary school for neighborhood students continue thriving, along with a community outreach program and more.
The building continues serving the parish and has been recognized as an official Omaha Landmark.
Sacred Heart CUES, The Christian Urban Education Service is the non-profit organization that provides financial support and operational guidance for Sacred Heart School
