The City of Bridgeport passed out face masks to residents at schools across the city Friday.

Curiale School is one of the 21 schools across the city taking part in the school meal distribution program for families who qualify to receive food during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those same sites are also being used to distribute simple surgical masks.

The masks were acquired as a donation to Bridgeport by City Councilman Alfredo Castillo.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim personally passed out the face masks to residents.

"As mayor in Bridgeport, we are taking the most extreme actions to try to prevent the spread of this virus. We are encouraging people, everyone, and we are passing out masks to as many people as we can. Even with our limited supplies, we're making a difference. I hope the rest of the state and the rest of the country begin to do what we're doing in the city of Bridgeport," says Ganim.

Officials say Castillo will head to Massachusetts to pick up another 20,000 masks, which will be distributed Monday.