FOR a year, Russell Redgrave battled to find a place to sleep at night and was one of the country's many homeless people.

Despite living in Brisbane and searching for a chance to get back on his feet, it was a move to Warwick that changed his life for the better.

At age 40, Mr Redgrave was sleeping in his car and spending nights moving between family and friends' houses. He was without a stable home and "down and out, big time”.

Homelessness was not a problem he ever thought he would have to face.

Being a plasterer and lifting heavy objects throughout his career had taken a toll on Mr Redgrave's body.

His shoulders, knees, back and joints were "shot” and he was unable to continue in the career to which he had dedicated his life.

In 2011 he took up work as a truck driver but, when his contract finished in 2013, he struggled to find more work, travelling to Gladstone and Western Australia to seek opportunities.

"If you're not local or don't know someone on the job site, you can't get a start,” he said.

A heart attack in 2015 thwarted his efforts even further, leaving the organ only functioning at 30% capacity.

Mr Redgrave said he was "laughed at” when applying for jobs and sharing his medical history.

"I've been working my whole life,” he said.

"When you're used to earning a couple of thousand a week, it shatters you.”

Mr Redgrave spent two years living on his savings, staying with others in Brisbane with no fixed address.

"I was just living around, a month here, a month there with no future,” he said.

After falling out with a friend he had been living with, and considering pitching a tent to live in a caravan park, the uncertainty of homelessness became too much for Mr Redgrave.

He picked up his phone, googled homelessness and found a phone number for St Vincent de Paul.

He rang St Vincent de Paul in Brisbane and was connected to the team in Warwick.

After spending four months at a local men's shelter, he moved into affordable accommodation for six months, which St Vincent de Paul helped him source through the Department of Housing.

Now 55, Mr Redgrave joined representatives from a number of community services this week to mark World Homeless Day at St Vincent de Paul, praising the work done by the Warwick team.

"I'd be on the street for sure (without them) because I haven't got family support,” Mr Redgrave said. "They help so many people, it's unbelievable what they do. They'd always have time to talk and they care.”

St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland housing support worker Jackie Doyle said homelessness took many forms in Warwick.

"You don't see a lot of people on a park bench but people are sleeping in cars and couch surfing,” Ms Doyle said.

Fellow housing support worker Dale Mann said homelessness could affect anyone.

"We're all a step away from homelessness, it's just a job loss, illness, financial situation or relationship breakdown away,” Ms Mann said.

"It doesn't know any class, it's across the board.”

Mr Redgrave said his experience demonstrated homelessness could happen to anyone.

"It happened to me and I've never been in such a predicament before,” he said.

Mr Redgrave is now receiving medical treatment for his shoulders and heart problems, which he hopes will allow him to pursue employment in the future.

"I won't be able to do the same thing but I'll be able to work,” he said.