Knitting for Brisbane's Needy (K4BN) has distributed more than 400,000 items for the past 12 years, but is this year trying to keep up with the highest demand it has ever seen.

The group supports more than just the homeless, providing toiletry packs to domestic violence victims in shelters, donating to the maternity ward at Cooktown Hospital in Far North Queensland, and supporting struggling farmers.

The charity was founded by retirees Karen and Peter Croke, who say their van is on its last legs and have asked for the public's help.

"This year alone we have seen a huge rise in demand for things – there's more homeless, an increase in domestic violence and more people struggling," Mrs Croke said.

"The demand this year is the highest ever. Organisations we have never heard of are asking for help."

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of homeless people in Brisbane has risen by 35 per cent in five years.

In the 2016 census, a total of 5813 respondents identified as sleeping rough in the River City, up from the 4316 who said they were homeless in 2011.

K4BN started 12 years ago when Mr and Mrs Croke had a chance meeting with a female pastor who worked with the homeless.

The pastor said people didn’t donate warm items because this was known as the Sunshine State and they didn't believe the cold was an issue for the homeless.

The charity has distributed 433,000 items to vulnerable members of the community since then.

"It started with two little old ladies doing knitting and now its gone wild with 600-700 people who knit for us and donate," Mrs Croke said.

"If we had known how big it was going to get, we would have been scared. The house is overrun with donations - we probably need another house.

"It's just a continuing roundabout - things come in and go straight out."

K4BN distributes to Brisbane, Bundaberg, Roma, Warwick, Toowoomba and Tweed Heads thanks to its network of more than 600 volunteers from across Queensland, Australia and even the UK.

Mrs Croke said she could not understand why the demand was increasing in "the lucky country".

"A lot of people who were doing okay are now homeless because the cost of living has gone up," she said.

"This shouldn’t be happening, we're meant to be the lucky country, but I guess we're not as lucky as we used to be.

"We do come across a few greedy people, but most of the homeless you come across are so grateful and only take one item because they say others will want what's left.

"There are homeless people who have drug addictions, but most are genuine people, some even doctors and lawyers, who have just lost their jobs.

"The also a large amount of middle-aged and older women living in cars because their husbands are dead and they have nothing to fall back on."

Donations to help K4BN buy a new van can be made here.