MIAMI -- It's the American Dream to be a homeowner. For one South Florida mother, that dream became a reality Tuesday as Habitat for Humanity and the Builders Association of South Florida handed her the keys to her new home.

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Felicia Jackson was one of five children raised in the projects by a single mother.

She said that all she ever hoped for was to offer her daughter, Nia, a better life.

"It means a lot," Jackson said. "It means that I can raise my daughter in a better environment. She's happy she has her own room, she is just full of joy."

The home was built by Habitat for Humanity and the Builders Association of South Florida.

Since its inception in 1989, Habitat for Humanity has built more than 600 homes in greater Miami for low-income families.

Michelle Marcos of Habitat for Humanity explained the organization's goals.

"Habitat partners with low-income families and builds homes for them, for people who couldn’t possibly otherwise own a home," Marcos said.

Jackson had to earn her home, working side by side with contractors to get it built and qualifying for an interest-free loan.

The three-bedroom home is one of 52 new single-family homes in her community built by Habitat for Humanity with the help of sponsors, like the Builders Association of South Florida.

The homes have revitalized the community and have given families hope for the future.

"It is such a good feeling to own your own home and be in a better environment," Jackson said. "This is mine. It is like a dream come true. This is actually mine."

Click here for a link to Habitat for Humanity.

Click here for a link to the Builder Association of South Florida.