Photo: Paul Chinn / The Chronicle 2019

As Californians stay home to comply with orders meant to fight the coronavirus, many now rely on online food ordering to avoid crowds at supermarkets.

But people who buy groceries with CalFresh, the state’s version of food stamps, are barred from using the benefit for online or delivered orders, meaning that they or their helpers must buy food in person at stores.

Among those who depend on CalFresh are tens of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities for whom avoiding public spaces has taken on extra importance.

“Having the option to purchase online just like everybody else is something our clients have been asking for for a long time,” said Jessica Bartholow, a legislative advocate at the Western Center on Law and Poverty. “The crisis elevates that request. A lot of our folks really need the food delivered.”

The Chronicle has learned that California is asking the federal government, which oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, for temporary permission to allow online food shopping and delivery for CalFresh recipients.

“To help get food to Californians, particularly those that are most vulnerable, California has requested a waiver from our federal partners at Food and Nutrition Services to allow CalFresh beneficiaries to use their state-issued (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards for online food purchases,” wrote Scott Murray, a spokesman for the California Department of Social Services, in an email.

The agency sent a letter to the regional SNAP administrator on Friday explaining that social distancing and the required home isolation for people age 65 or older could last for weeks or months.

“During this time, Californians will need to meet their food needs while reducing in-person interactions,” said the letter, signed by Alexis Fernández, chief of the CalFresh and Nutrition Branch at the social services agency. “For some SNAP households, this may require grocery home delivery.”

Currently the card provided to CalFresh recipients works only in person at participating grocery stores, farmers’ markets and some restaurants.

“It would make life a lot easier” to have online CalFresh ordering, said Clif, a 70-year-old Berkeley resident with a disability. He asked to have his last name withheld because he doesn’t want people to know he uses CalFresh; The Chronicle agreed in accordance with its policy on anonymous sources.

Currently, Clif must take a bus to Safeway to buy groceries and then “stagger home,” lugging the heavy bags with difficulty, as well as encountering numerous people on the bus and in the store. He was not aware that CalFresh allows recipients to send a trusted person to the store with their card.

The Western Center on Law and Poverty backs pending legislation, SB33, from state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, that calls for California to study how to allow online CalFresh ordering permanently.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers SNAP benefits, is experimenting with online ordering in Alabama, Iowa, New York, Oregon and Washington, working with a limited number of stores. In light of the pandemic, it said it wants to work with other states that want to offer online purchasing. However, it requires that online transactions be processed in accordance with government guidelines for safety and security.

California proposed implementing online purchasing with retailers that already are part of the USDA pilots, namely Amazon and Walmart. In addition, California wants to include Safeway.

The state asked the government to expedite approval of other vendors for online ordering. Bartholow said she hopes small, local grocers would be included, especially ones located in “food desert” neighborhoods.

Once it gets federal approval, California can implement online CalFresh ordering within two to three weeks, the letter said.

The USDA said that one option already available is for CalFresh recipients to shop at local stores that offer online ordering of groceries, which individuals or their helpers could then pick up and pay for using their benefits card in the store.

Amazon said it already “enthusiastically” participates in the food stamps online trial in New York, Washington, Iowa and Oregon.

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The program works for qualified food ordered via the regular Amazon e-commerce site as well as Amazon Fresh, its grocery delivery service, and Amazon Pantry, its nonperishable grocery service for Prime members.

“Amazon is committed to making food accessible through online shopping, offering all customers access to low prices, selection, and convenience,” said Kristina Herrmann, director of underserved populations at Amazon, in a statement. “This is especially important as millions of Americans are being encouraged to stay at home. We continue to work closely with the USDA as the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot grows.”

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid